Closer Moroccan-Spanish cooperation helped curb illegal migration, Spanish official

Closer cooperation between Morocco and Spain against illegal migration, mainly through the joint sea patrols, has helped considerably curb the flow of illegal immigrants to Spain in 2004, according to the Spanish Interior Minister.

Jose Antonio Alonso said in an official document made public Tuesday that the flow of small makeshift boats trying to land on the Spanish Canary Islands has decreased by 21.44pc in 2004 while the number of arrested illegal immigrants on the 740 boats dropped to 15.671 persons, that is 18.28pc cut compared to 2003.

The document ascribes this good performance to the consolidation of control measures in the strait of Gibraltar and along the Canary archipelago coasts as well as to the expansion of the Spanish integrated external surveillance network.

Since July 2004, Morocco and Spain have conducted 13 joint sea patrols along the Atlantic shores, between the Moroccan southern city of Laayoune and the Canary Islands. The experience was also extended to air and land patrols and starting December 28, a liaison officer was posted in Algeciras, the interior ministry recalls.