Morocco has been praised by Spanish Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Minister and government spokesperson Elma Saiz for its cooperation in managing the recent migration crisis in Ceuta, with the minister describing the Kingdom as a “reliable partner.”
Speaking to Cadena SER on Tuesday, Saiz said the response to the crisis “would not have been possible without Moroccan cooperation,” while defending the government’s handling of the situation and insisting that “Ceuta has never been and will never be alone.”
Saiz, who visited the city a day earlier, called for greater “cooperation between administrations” to address the situation.
Her remarks came after Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas stepped up his criticism of the central government, accusing it of “passivity” and a “lack of willingness” in its response to the migration crisis.
Saiz said the government remains permanently engaged in Ceuta through the resources deployed there, including the Temporary Immigration Stay Centre (CETI).
The government is also preparing four new sites to accommodate some of the migrants who arrived at the end of July.
The facilities will initially provide 1,500 places, with capacity potentially increasing to around 4,000, according to Saiz.
“I don't want to set a ceiling. There will initially be 1,500 places, but these sites will be able to accommodate more,” she said.
Saiz, who was due to meet NGOs working in the city on Tuesday, also rejected criticism that the government had been slow to respond.
“The government has not gone to Ceuta; it is in Ceuta,” she said.
The government spokesperson acknowledged, however, that she did not have precise figures for the number of migrants, including adults and minors, who remain in the city. She said around 4,000 food kits are being distributed there every day.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government has requested financial assistance from the European Union through emergency support mechanisms, including the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
