Spain Deploys 16,000 Officers for Annual Moroccan Diaspora Transit Operation

This figure is similar to last year’s, but "strengthening" of coordination is planned to cope with a larger influx, we are informed.

The two countries have also agreed to strengthen and coordinate information exchange channels in order to continue working on various aspects, such as managing days of maximum influx, the possibility of exchanging tickets and other maritime crossing conditions.

In the coming weeks, the details of the Operation Crossing the Strait, also called OPE-23 in Spain, will be finalized. This operation also provides for the reinforcement of staff in the ports in order to guarantee a smooth transit, both from Europe to Africa and in the second phase Marhaba. The objective of this joint system is to ensure "fluidity and security" and to provide assistance to travelers and to prevent and protect public health.

The Operation Crossing the Strait, which began in 1986, manages the round-trip transit of citizens of Maghreb origin, mainly Moroccans, traveling from several European countries to North Africa during the summer period. After an interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the breakdown of relations between Morocco and Spain, this operation resumed last year. In 2022, a total of 2,912,283 passengers and 695,487 vehicles were recorded during the two phases.