Dialog with EU is the solution to emigration phenomenon, Minister

"It is now necessary to launch a serious dialog with the European Union on emigration" said Monday Minister-Delegate in Charge of Moroccan Expatriates, Nouzha Chekrouni.

Speaking at a meeting with the Commission of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Islamic Affairs at the House of Representatives (lower house), Chekrouni deemed this dialog imperative to "prepare for the future, and determine a European interlocutor so that the kingdom may have a clear vision in this field," affirming that a "true partnership" is the solution to the complex and trans-national phenomenon of emigration.

The recent positive development of Morocco-Spanish relations, she went on, has contributed to the revision of the emigration Act, which encouraged 15 to 20% of Moroccan expatriates in Spain to submit regularization requests, assuring that the Spanish government is currently examining the possibility to facilitate regularization requirements.

The new conditions would be the submission of a complete copy of the passport, a residence certificate issued by the local authorities, a work contract, and a certificate of good conduct delivered by the country of origin, she said.

As to the situation in Italy, the minister said Italy's Education and Research Ministry has accepted, in principle, Morocco's request to start the teaching of Arabic as of the coming academic year.

Touching on the issue of racism, Chekrouni said the upsurge of this phenomenon in Europe is not directed uniquely against Moroccan nationals, but against all emigrant communities, ascribing this behaviour to the economic crises that European countries suffer.

Moroccans constitute the largest foreign community in Spain with over half a million, of whom 54,029 have submitted regularization requests according to figures released lately.