US Urges Spain-Morocco Cooperation as Thousands of Migrants Enter Ceuta

20 May 2021 – byPrince@Bladi · 2 min read

The United States on Wednesday called on Spain and Morocco to work together to resolve the crisis in the autonomous city of Ceuta. In recent days, 8,000 Moroccan migrants in an irregular situation, according to official Spanish sources, have arrived in the city, despite the many repatriations to Morocco already carried out.

"We support both Spain and Morocco as they work together towards a resolution," said Jalina Porter, one of the spokespersons for the US State Department, during a press conference. The United States is determined to promote "humane, orderly and equitable migration processes" in the region, she added.

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita about the exacerbation of tensions between Israel and Palestine, mainly in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. During the conversation, Blinken recalled that Washington attaches importance to the "key role" that Morocco must play in "promoting stability in the region," stressing the "importance of a strong bilateral cooperation" between the United States and Morocco.

The two ministers expressed their "common concern" in the face of the many human damages caused by the escalation of violence in Israel. These conflicts have "cost the lives of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including children," reads the brief official note published by the Biden administration.

The United States, under the Donald Trump administration, recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in December. A major decision that Joe Biden does not intend to reverse. Likewise, Trump had also negotiated an important political agreement between Israel and Morocco.

Category: Spain

Keywords:

Illegal immigration Spain United States Ceuta Israel Palestine