Spain Repatriates 80 Moroccan Migrants Weekly from Canary Islands to Western Sahara

The information was provided by Moroccan police officers during a videoconference with the Spanish Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who was visiting the new headquarters of the Division of International Cooperation of the National Police in Madrid.

"The repatriations from Las Palmas to Laâyoune continue. We do 80 per week. Four, five or six minors, accompanied and unaccompanied, are put in a boat and transported to Laâyoune," said police officer Francisco Moñux on the occasion, also mentioning the difficult collaboration with the Moroccan consulates which "are very reluctant to provide information and documentation on Moroccans".

The head of the Moroccan police, for his part, acknowledged having observed "a very big change" in the repatriation conditions, recalling moreover that the epidemiological situation has clearly improved in the kingdom. 70 new cases and 4 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours, he said before adding that "Morocco has already vaccinated seven million people, or 7% of the population".