Non-existence of Maghreb Union Detrimental to Regional Efforts on Migration- King Mohammed VI says

King Mohammed VI has deplored that the non-existence of the Maghreb Union has made collective efforts to tackle migration and other regional challenges ineffective.

“Our regional groupings could have dealt with the situation more effectively. In fact, one could rightly think that if the Arab Maghreb Union had really existed, we would have been stronger in the face of such a challenge,” said the King while speaking of the atrocious practices that have been inflicted on migrants in Libya at the hands of armed militias.

In a message to the 5th African Union-European Union Summit in Abidjan, the Monarch, in his capacity as leader of the African Union on Migration, deplored that the Maghreb Union “ does not exist!”, expressing concern that because of regional conflicts, migratory flows often fall prey to different trafficking networks, ranging from drug trafficking to terrorist networks.

The King also regretted that Libya, a Maghreban country, has become “the corridor of all evils, epitomizing all types of misfortunes,” voicing his deep shock at the atrocious practices reported by the media and currently plaguing migrants in our region. “This is an utter denial of humanity.”

The King also criticized the EU’s migration policy, explaining that “it is not acceptable that the best African talents should be coveted by Europe and found on the benches of prestigious schools as much as in businesses on the continent, without regard for the investment made by the country of origin in terms of training. The brain drain caused by this situation is appalling.”

After recalling the contribution of Moroccan and African migrants in rebuilding post-war Europe, King Mohammed VI called for a new vision in order to turn immigration into a subject of peaceful debate and constructive exchange.