Morocco Repeats Claim on Ceuta and Melilla

Morocco has once again asserted its "historic right" to Ceuta and Melilla, the two Spanish enclaves on the North African coast, reigniting a long-standing territorial dispute with Spain. The claim was made by Morocco's Minister of Justice, who argued that the cities belong to Morocco on both historical and geographical grounds.

In his statements, the minister called for the establishment of a "dialogue body" between Rabat and Madrid, a mechanism through which the two governments could formally address the contested status of Ceuta and Melilla. Such a body, he suggested, would provide a structured framework for negotiations that have so far remained informal or absent altogether.

The two cities, which Spain has administered for centuries, have repeatedly been a source of diplomatic tension. Morocco has never recognised Spanish sovereignty over them and periodically renews its claim, though no formal negotiations over their status have been announced.

Alongside the territorial issue, Morocco has taken a separate step regarding migration policy, exempting citizens of several African countries from visa requirements. This move is expected to facilitate easier travel and closer diplomatic ties between Morocco and the affected nations.

At the same time, Moroccan officials have expressed scepticism about Spain's ongoing regularization scheme, which grants legal residency status to undocumented migrants already present in the country. Morocco has questioned whether such measures could generate a "pull effect," a phenomenon in which more generous migration policies encourage additional, potentially irregular, migration flows toward Spain.

The combination of these statements underscores the intertwined nature of territorial and migration disputes in the Morocco-Spain relationship. While the two sovereign nations maintain diplomatic and economic ties, disagreements over Ceuta, Melilla, and migration management continue to surface periodically, reflecting unresolved tensions that have persisted for decades.

No official response from the Spanish government regarding the proposed dialogue body has been reported so far, leaving the future of any formal talks on Ceuta and Melilla uncertain.