King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will visit the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla on Oct. 13 and 14, respectively, the Spanish royal household and government said Thursday.
The visit, agreed upon with the government, will be Felipe VI’s first official trip to the two North African cities since becoming king in 2014.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will not accompany the royal couple, according to government sources cited by Spanish media. The announcement comes ahead of Spain’s National Day on Oct. 12, when the royal family, government officials and military leaders will gather in Madrid.
The timing of the visit has been closely watched after a major migration crisis in Ceuta this summer. More than 72,000 migrants entered the enclave from Morocco in late July, overwhelming local facilities and prompting heightened scrutiny of Spain’s border and migration policies.
Felipe VI has repeatedly addressed the crisis. During a state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron on Sept. 29, he described the mass entry as “unacceptable” and called for greater European cooperation in protecting the EU’s external borders, arguing that countries facing the greatest pressure should not bear the responsibility alone.
The king has also held discussions with Sánchez and Ceuta and Melilla officials over the crisis. Earlier this month, he met Defense Minister Margarita Robles and senior military commanders to review the situation in Ceuta from a defense perspective.
Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas welcomed the royal visit, saying it demonstrated the support of Spain’s head of state for the city. He said Felipe VI personally informed him of the visit.
The trip is particularly sensitive in relations with Morocco. The last royal visit to both cities, by Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía in 2007, was followed by a diplomatic dispute in which Morocco recalled its ambassador to Madrid for consultations.
Spanish officials have previously stressed the need to handle the timing of the visit carefully. When Sánchez announced in August that Felipe VI would travel to the cities, he said the trip would take place when conditions were appropriate and would be coordinated between the government and the royal household.
The visit will also take place against the backdrop of heightened attention to security in Ceuta following the summer migration crisis. Around 3,500 migrants were still outside reception centers in the city as of late September, according to Spain’s territorial policy minister.
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