Morocco, Spain Resume Cooperation on Migration after Normalizing Relations

Spanish troops at El-Tarajal beach, near the Spanish-Moroccan (Reuters)
Spanish troops at El-Tarajal beach, near the Spanish-Moroccan (Reuters)
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Morocco, Spain Resume Cooperation on Migration after Normalizing Relations

Spanish troops at El-Tarajal beach, near the Spanish-Moroccan (Reuters)
Spanish troops at El-Tarajal beach, near the Spanish-Moroccan (Reuters)

The Moroccan-Spanish Joint Committee held its meeting to prepare Operation Crossing the Strait (OPE) 2022 this Thursday in Rabat.

The Committee facilitates the transit of Moroccan citizens living abroad during the summer.

The meeting was co-chaired by Moroccan Director of Migration and Border Surveillance Khalid Zerouali and Spain’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Isabel Goicoechea.

A joint statement issued after the meeting announced that it comes within the framework of implementing the roadmap established during the meeting last April between Spanish President Pedro Sanchez and the King of Morocco, Mohamed VI.

The discussions focused on the operational arrangements put in place by the two parties, similar to those adopted in 2019, to ensure that the 2022 transit process is conducted in the best conditions.

The measures are based on several factors, including the fluidity and security of transit, assistance to travelers, and the prevention and protection of public health.

The parties also agreed on an essential plan for sailing, which provides offers regarding the daily capacity of passenger transport, vehicles, rotation, and sea connection.

They also issued directives to mobilize necessary logistics and human resources at ports and airports through measures of social assistance monitored by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity in Morocco and abroad.

The two sides discussed plans to guarantee an adequate supply for the daily traffic of passengers and vehicles. The reinforcements of troops will be mobilized in the ports to ensure transit, both from Europe to Africa and vice versa.

They agreed to reinforce and coordinate information exchange channels to continue working on aspects such as the management of peak travel days, the possibility of exchanging tickets, and other conditions for maritime crossings.



Fuel Shortages in Gaza at 'Critical Levels', UN Warns

 A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
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Fuel Shortages in Gaza at 'Critical Levels', UN Warns

 A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
A Palestinian burns plastic waste to produce alternative fuel amid scarcity as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, in northern Gaza Strip, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

The United Nations warned Saturday that dire fuel shortages in the Gaza Strip had reached "critical levels", threatening to dramatically increase the suffering in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

"After almost two years of war, people in Gaza are facing extreme hardships, including widespread food insecurity, seven UN agencies cautioned in a joint statement.

"When fuel runs out, it places an unbearable new burden on a population teetering on the edge of starvation," the statement added.