Morocco Repeats Claim on Ceuta and Melilla
Listen to the story
Morocco has again said that it has a "historic right" to Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish cities in North Africa. This claim was repeated by Morocco's Minister of Justice, who said the cities belong to Morocco for historical and geographical reasons.
The minister has called for the creation of a "dialogue body" between Morocco and Spain. This group would allow both countries to discuss the future status of Ceuta and Melilla in an organised way.
Ceuta and Melilla have long been a sensitive topic between the two countries. Spain has controlled the cities for centuries, but Morocco has never fully accepted this and continues to raise the issue publicly.
At the same time, Morocco has removed visa requirements for several African countries. This change makes it easier for citizens of those nations to enter Morocco without needing special permission in advance.
Morocco has also questioned Spain's recent regularization process, which gives legal status to migrants who are already living in the country without documents. Moroccan officials have raised concerns about a possible "pull effect," meaning that such policies might encourage more people to try to migrate to Spain.
These comments show that migration and territorial questions remain closely linked in the relationship between Morocco and Spain. Both governments have discussed these issues before, but no final agreement has been reached on Ceuta and Melilla's future.
Vocabulary10 words
- historic right
- a claim based on old history
- Minister of Justice
- the government official in charge of legal matters
- dialogue body
- an official group created to discuss problems
- geographical
- related to location and land
- visa
- official permission to enter a country
- regularization
- the process of giving legal status to people
- pull effect
- when a policy attracts more migration
- sensitive topic
- a subject that can easily cause disagreement
- status
- the official condition of something
- territorial
- related to land or borders
Quiz
Answer key
1. That Morocco has a historic right to them 2. A dialogue body with Spain 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Morocco has again said that it has a "_____ right" to Ceuta and Melilla.
This claim was repeated by Morocco's Minister of _____.
The minister has called for the creation of a "_____ body" between Morocco and Spain.
Spain has _____ the cities for centuries, but Morocco has never fully accepted this.
Morocco has removed _____ requirements for several African countries.
Morocco has also questioned Spain's recent _____ process.
Moroccan officials have raised concerns about a possible "_____ effect."
Both governments have discussed these issues before, but no final _____ has been reached.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think Ceuta and Melilla remain a sensitive issue between Morocco and Spain?
- What could be the benefits or risks of creating a formal dialogue body between the two countries?
- How might visa policy changes affect migration patterns in the region?
- Do you think regularization programs can really create a 'pull effect'? Why or why not?