Spanish And Moroccan Home Affairs Ministers Hold Bilateral Meeting

Following an invitation from the Minister for Home Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, the Home Affairs Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Director of National Security and the Director-General of Territorial Surveillance paid a working visit to Madrid on Thursday.

During the course of the meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Spanish Ministry of Home Affairs, the Moroccan and Spanish ministers welcomed the excellent and exemplary collaboration between the security services of the two countries stemming from the bonds of friendship and fraternity between King Mohammed VI and His Majesty King Felipe VI.

The two delegations expressed great satisfaction regarding the effectiveness and the results obtained from the operations undertaken by the two countries, especially in the fight against terrorism and organized crime.

As regards the fight against terrorism, the two delegations particularly praised the cooperation resulting from a constant exchange of information and based on trust, as well as the organization of joint and simultaneous operations that have led to the dismantling of numerous terrorist cells, including those engaged in the recruitment and transport of foreign terrorist fighters to conflict zones.

As regards the fight against drug trafficking, the two parties highlighted the effectiveness of the measures adopted, which have enabled a substantial reduction in drug trafficking by light aircraft across the Strait of Gibraltar.

As regards police cooperation, the two delegations reiterated their satisfaction with the quality of collaboration between the security services in the two countries, especially via the Spain-Morocco Police Cooperation Centres located in Tangier and Algeciras, which represent an exemplary model of alliance and close, daily cooperation between police services.

As regards the management of migratory flows, the two parties are aware of the significance of this issue and reiterated their determination to jointly promote a global approach to resolving the matter, integrating factors relating to security, humanitarian affairs and development.

Within this framework, the Spanish Minister for Home Affairs expressed the humanitarian focus of the new Moroccan migration policy, especially with regard to regularization, immigrant integration and protection for people in vulnerable situations.

The two delegations also highlighted the efforts made by the two countries to ensure positive results from Operation Strait of Gibraltar Passage 2015 “Transit 2015”, which, in terms of the preceding operations, represented a model for cooperation in this regard based on fluidity, security and measures aimed at proximity and assistance.

Furthermore and based on the inextricable nature of security in the Mediterranean basin and the Sahel region, marked by endemic instability that serves to nurture the various terrorist and criminal factions and groupings, the two delegates agreed on the overriding need for widespread regional cooperation, which could stem from the launch and implementation of collective actions to curb the currently real and increasingly worrying terrorist threat.