EU Promises More Financial Support for Morocco & Spain to Manage Migration

EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker promised to release €55 million from the emergency fund to help Morocco and Spain tackle the rise of illegal migration in the Western Mediterranean.

The news came after reports cited that Morocco requested help to address the illegal migration challenge in its north as an increasing number of migrants are shunning the insecure Libya route in favor of the Western Mediterranean option.

Spain has also asked the EU for help to manage the growing migration flow in the Mediterranean. The Spanish government has requested additional emergency aid from the European Commission, said a spokesperson for this EU institution.

In this context Juncker sent a letter to Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez saying that he “shares the sense of urgency” about the rise in irregular immigration, but warning that EU funds to stem the flow from Morocco are limited.

In July, the EU agreed to spend €55 million ($64 million) to help Tunisia and Morocco manage their frontiers.

In December last year, Morocco received a €6 million payment to purchase equipment. However, these figures are far from the €3 billion promised to Turkey in exchange for stemming the migration flow on the eastern Mediterranean.