First Independent Mena Newspaper
The recent migration crisis at Ceuta has triggered a wave of anti-Moroccan rhetoric in Spain, rooted in centuries-old historical traumas rather than current events alone. The warmongering and hostility displayed by segments of the Spanish media and political spectrum goes far beyond a spontaneous reaction to the July events in the Spanish enclave. Since the […]
Spanish authorities were warned weeks before a mass migrant rush into the occupied city of Ceuta that growing sea arrivals, social media activity and a controversial court ruling could trigger a major escalation, according to border workers’ unions cited by Reuters. More than 70,000 migrants entered or attempted to enter the Spanish enclave within 24 […]
Spanish protests over the expulsion of RTVE and EFE crews from Fnideq on August 15 has exposed what critics call a glaring double standard on press freedom, one where Spanish journalists’ rights trigger immediate government statements, while similar treatment of Moroccan and Italian journalists on Spanish-controlled soil draws only silence. Moroccan authorities asked the Spanish […]
Moroccan security forces intercepted 294 candidates for irregular migration in and around Fnideq near occupied Ceuta on Saturday, August 15, as authorities mounted a large-scale operation to prevent any attempted mass crossing toward the Spanish-controlled enclave, a security source told Moroccan media. The updated toll marked a sharp rise from the 111 arrests logged earlier […]
Far from the images of the mass border rushes at Ceuta and Melilla, a different migration story is unfolding in Algeria in the western Mediterranean. According to data released on August 12 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Algeria has become the leading country of origin for irregular migration to Spain, well ahead of […]
In the wake of Spain’s self-inflicted migration crisis, analyses underpinned by Moroccophobia spawned in Spanish media. Some suggested Spain should consider cutting or threatening to cut electricity flows through the submarine cables to Morocco as leverage. Such proposals ignore the mutual benefits of the interconnection and risk exposing deeper economic interdependence, energy experts and bilateral […]
Spain should consider returning Ceuta to Morocco, a Foreign Policy article argues, saying the enclave’s disputed status is an outdated geopolitical anomaly that creates unnecessary tensions and leaves Europe vulnerable to migration pressure at one of its most unusual borders. The analysis, published on Aug. 6, examines the history of Ceuta and its position on […]
King Felipe VI of Spain has extended his warmest greeting to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of his accession to the throne. In his message of congratulations, the Spanish Sovereign expresses, on his own behalf and on behalf of the Spanish government and people, his best wishes for happiness and […]
Spain cannot maintain relatively open and regularization-friendly migration policies at home while expecting Morocco to shoulder the full burden of preventing irregular crossings into Ceuta and Melilla. The mass influx into Ceuta last week has exposed the contradiction at the heart of Madrid’s approach. Domestic pull factors generated by Spanish decisions helped fuel the surge, […]
This week’s mass crossings into the Spanish-held enclave of Ceuta have exposed an enduring colonial reality often ignored in mainstream media. Spain continues to occupy Moroccan soil, denying Moroccans free movement on their own territory and enforcing artificial barriers that generate human tragedies like the one that has unfolded this week. Between Thursday and Friday, […]