Illegal immigration is joint responsibility of Morocco and EU

Illegal immigration is a joint responsibility between Morocco and the European Union (EU), said on Tuesday Minister delegate in charge of expatriates, Nouzha Chekrouni.

Speaking before the House of Advisors (upper chamber) on the number of immigrants whose situation was not regulated in Europe, she said Rabat is working to persuade EU countries to regularize the situation of Moroccan clandestine immigrants. This, she said, was concretised in some countries such as Spain and Italy.

The minister recalled that Spain has recently launched two regularization operations, the first of which has allowed 50,000 to regularize their situation. The second operation, she said, will help 90pc of immigrants who have a job, to do so by the end of the operation.

Chekrouni said Morocco has integrated all questions related to the integration policy in EU countries, including illegal immigration, in the annual meeting part of the Morocco-EU association accord.

She added that Morocco is working to create job opportunities part of legal immigration, while guaranteeing all rights to Moroccan expatriates under bilateral accords signed with European countries.