Morocco prevents more than 75 thousand migration attempts in 2023

The number of migration attempts foiled by Morocco in 2023 increased 6% year-on-year to 75,184 as the number of rescue operations at sea also grew, the interior ministry said.

The same year, the Moroccan navy rescued 16,818 people, up 35%. The rescued migrants received medical assistance and accommodation in keeping with Morocco’s humane approach to border management and migration.

Morocco is both a destination and a transit country for migrants bound for Europe.

It has deployed an efficient coastal and border surveillance system that curbed the number of arrivals to European coasts.

The country dismantled 419 migrant trafficking networks, that is a 44% increase compared to a year earlier.

“These criminal networks have continually been adapting their strategies,” the ministry said.

Crossing attempts to the Spanish-occupied enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla have also dropped significantly by 62% to only six attempts involving 1400 migrants, it said.

Morocco’s efforts were also reflected in the number of arrivals in mainland Spain in 2023 underscored the efficiency of Morocco’s surveillance system.

However, embarkations increased from West African coasts to the Canary Islands which became the main gateway for migrants seeking to reach Spain.