Migration: Morocco is Making ‘Very Significant Effort’ against Criminal Networks – Former Socialist Leader

Morocco is making a “very significant effort” to combat the activities of human trafficking criminal networks that are active on several migration routes, said, on Saturday, the former leader of the Canarian Socialist Party, Rafael Esparza Machin. “The role played by Morocco is crucial to control migration flows in the Atlantic and Western Mediterranean routes, which is a very important effort,” Esparza told MAP, stressing the importance of shared and joint action to further advance in terms of coordination with Spain. The meeting of the Permanent Spanish-Moroccan Group on Migration, held Friday in Rabat, is good news to strengthen collaboration and coordination, said Esparza, a university professor and an expert in Maghreb issues. This meeting, held under the co-chairmanship of Khalid Zerouali, Wali Director of Migration and Border Surveillance at the Ministry of Interior, and of Jesus Perea Cortijo, Secretary of State for Migration, has laid the foundations for moving forward in the exchange of information and consolidation of joint actions, he argued. The reactivation of the bilateral working groups and the meetings held in Morocco on the migration issue and transit confirm the willingness and determination of both countries to give a more comprehensive dimension to their relationship for the welfare of the two neighboring peoples and friends, Esparza concluded.