Morocco maintains claims on Ceuta amid Spain’s migration crisis

A former Spanish ambassador to Morocco has warned that Morocco will not abandon its long-standing territorial claims over Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish enclaves in North Africa. The remarks come as the recent surge of over 72,000 migrants into Ceuta has reignited political tensions and highlighted unresolved disputes between the two nations.

Historical tensions resurface

Jorge Dezcallar, who previously served as Spain’s ambassador to Morocco and director of its intelligence services, stated that the Moroccan government has never relinquished its claims on Ceuta and Melilla. These unresolved territorial disputes, he argued, have indirectly fueled the recent massive influx of migrants into Ceuta.

Dezcallar suggested that Morocco may be testing Spain’s resolve at a time when it perceives the Spanish government as weakened. The left-wing administration of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has faced mounting corruption scandals involving high-ranking officials and close associates. Additionally, its pro-immigration policies and strong criticism of the United States have frequently put it at odds with European counterparts.

“Relations between Spain and Morocco are more driven by passion than reason, characterized by sharp fluctuations,” Dezcallar noted. Despite these tensions, the two nations remain economically intertwined, with critical cooperation in areas such as migration management, counterterrorism, and regional security.

Morocco’s sovereign claims

Moroccan officials and state-aligned media have increasingly emphasized sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, territories that have been part of Spain for centuries—long before the modern state of Morocco existed.

“This issue remains unresolved. Every time we meet with Spanish counterparts, we raise it,” stated Abdellatif Ouahbi, Morocco’s Justice Minister, during a recent interview. “We are firmly anchored in our territories. This is a matter we will resolve through negotiation and patience.”

Margarita Robles, Spain’s Defense Minister, swiftly responded, asserting, “Let there be no doubt: Ceuta and Melilla are definitively Spanish. They are non-negotiable.”

The Spanish monarch, King Felipe VI, has never visited Ceuta or Melilla, and it was only this week that a Spanish foreign minister made an official visit to the enclaves for the first time in modern democratic history—a move widely interpreted as an effort to avoid further provoking Morocco.

Immediate triggers of the migration surge

Madrid and Rabat have attributed the sudden influx of migrants to human trafficking networks exploiting a July ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court. The court prohibited the immediate expulsion of migrants arriving by sea to Ceuta and Melilla.

Dezcallar, however, cautioned that there may have been “at least some level of permissiveness or negligence” from Moroccan authorities in facilitating the surge.

Spain’s vulnerabilities exposed

The former ambassador also raised concerns about Spain’s limited capacity to prevent future migrant waves, noting that this is not the first such incident. In 2021, Spain’s decision to hospitalize the Sahrawi leader Brahim Ghali triggered a diplomatic rupture. Morocco retaliated by facilitating the arrival of nearly 10,000 migrants in Ceuta, an act described by Robles as “blackmail.”

“One mistake may be forgiven, but not two,” Dezcallar remarked, recalling warnings from Ceuta authorities about a gradual increase in irregular arrivals in the days prior. Intelligence sources recently alerted to a potential new surge on August 15, with calls to storm the city circulating widely on social media. Police and Civil Guard unions have also confirmed the threat.

“Anyone who believes Morocco will abandon its claims on Ceuta and Melilla is mistaken,” Dezcallar concluded.