Spain criticises ‘selfish’ EU partners as Ceuta migration crisis eases

Spain has publicly criticised several European Union member states for what it described as a “selfish” refusal to help manage a sudden surge of migrants crossing into the North African enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco. The rebuke comes as officials report that almost all of the migrants who arrived over the past several days have now departed the Spanish territory, though the underlying humanitarian and diplomatic tensions remain unresolved.

An unprecedented influx

According to figures cited by French broadcaster France24, an estimated 60,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta over the course of just a few days, marking one of the largest sudden inflows into a European territory in recent memory. The crossings, which took place largely on foot or by swimming along the coastline bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, overwhelmed local reception capacity and prompted an emergency response from Spanish authorities. At least 67 people are reported to have lost their lives during the attempts.

Ceuta, along with Melilla to the east, is one of two Spanish autonomous cities located on the northern coast of Africa. Both enclaves have long been focal points of irregular migration towards the European Union, owing to their unique position as the only land borders between an EU member state and the African continent. The current episode, however, stands out for its scale and speed, and has placed the spotlight on the broader relationship between Madrid and Rabat.

Spain’s border response

In the wake of the influx, the Spanish government announced plans to construct a 500-metre-long containment barrier along the sea border, aimed at discouraging further crossings by water. Spanish officials have also redeployed additional police and military personnel to Ceuta to manage border operations and process those who entered. By Saturday, most of those who had crossed had reportedly left the enclave, either returning voluntarily to Morocco or being transferred onward by Spanish services.

EU divisions emerge

The crisis has exposed fresh divisions within the European Union over responsibility for managing migration at the bloc’s external frontiers. A majority of EU member states have signed an open letter addressed to the union’s interior ministers calling for emergency talks on the situation. The Spanish government, for its part, has accused its European counterparts of failing to demonstrate solidarity, arguing that frontline states should not bear the burden alone. The dispute is likely to feed into ongoing EU debates over reform of the bloc’s common asylum and migration system, a politically sensitive subject that has divided member states for years.

Analysts say the episode underscores how rapidly migration dynamics in North Africa can shift in response to political developments between neighbouring states, and how thinly stretched European border arrangements remain when faced with large, sudden movements of people.

Source: FRANCE 24 — read the original report.