Spain Seeks Delay in Reopening Ceuta-Morocco Border After Two-Year Closure

13 April 2022 – byPrince@Bladi · 2 min read

Morocco is preparing to reopen its land borders with Spain in Ceuta and Melilla tomorrow, Thursday. The free movement of people and goods should resume in both directions, after two years of inertia. But nothing is less certain.

Closed for more than two years for health and diplomatic crises, the borders of Ceuta and Melilla with Morocco will finally be able to reopen. This, in accordance with the joint declaration that sanctioned the meeting between Pedro Sanchez and Mohammed VI in Rabat on April 7, in which it was agreed to open the border crossings at the level of the two autonomous cities in a "progressive and orderly" manner.

To read: article 92314

Sunday and Monday, at the headquarters of the prefecture of M’diq, meetings were held with Moroccan border officials after the authorization of reopening from Rabat, assure Moroccan sources to El Mundo, specifying that Morocco is keen on the reopening due to the economic and social crisis situation of the cities near the border since the closure of the borders. Meanwhile, the government delegation in Ceuta has made no statement on the matter.

To read: article 91670

The same sources said that the borders will be reopened at 1:00 a.m. in Morocco, or 3:00 a.m. in Spain. The Spanish authorities, the government delegation in Ceuta in this case, have expressed their refusal to reopen the border with Morocco, considering the decision "hasty", as work is underway to renovate the border. The reopening of Tarajal "should not take place until effective means and protocols are in place for the control of people and goods," said the spokesman for the delegation.

To read: Spain Extends Closure of Ceuta and Melilla Borders with Morocco to April 30

"Beyond hoaxes and rumors, the reopening date will be decided within the framework of the bilateral relationship. It will also be done gradually and taking into account the health conditions. The infrastructure capacities will be adequate," assured sources from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. Ahmed Biyuzan, journalist and secretary general of the Moroccan Association of the Press, for his part, stressed that "on the Moroccan side, all border agents have been informed of the reopening on Thursday at dawn."

Category: Spain

Keywords:

Spain Ceuta