Security measures underway for reopening Ceuta and Melilla

Authorities in Melilla have put down some initial measures for the occupied Ceuta and Melilla borders reopening, according to El Faro de Melilla news outlet.

“50 to 100 police officers will be recruited to secure the crossings, and the city’s security authorities decided to allocate the Bani Ansar crossing for cars and various vehicles, while the Farkhana crossing will be dedicated to passengers,” stated the news outlet.

Chaired by the deputy secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Isabel Goicoecheahe, the announcement comes following the first meeting of the Coordination and Management Committee, on Monday in Madrid.

El Faro de Mellila pointed out that the reopening of borders was one of the demands of many political parties, including the far-right Vox party.

Due to the absence of contraband smuggling with the Spanish enclaves, the decision to close customs in Melilla in July of 2018 damaged the economy of the enclave, depriving the city of an estimated €47 million in revenue.

Both Spanish and Moroccan authorities have been restricting travel between the North African country and the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla due to COVID-19 crisis, as well as political tensions between the two countries.

“After the reopening, Melillans will benefit from a greater offer, but we will also put around 300,000 consumers on the market from the ports of Almería, Motril, and Malaga,” reads El Faro de Melilla piece.

Moroccan authorities, in line with their Spanish counterpart, decided to reopen the occupied Ceuta crossing starting Thursday. The reopening will be gradual and will start around 3 am on Thursday.

In addition to this, Morocco and Spain will gradually resume maritime travel, as well as the 2022 Marhaba operation.

“Shipping companies will gradually resume their passenger services between Morocco’s ports of Tanger Med and Tanger Ville as well as the Spanish ports of Algeciras and Tarifa,” noted a press release issued by Morocco’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics.

These decisions follow Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’ meeting with King Mohamed VI on Thursday in Rabat.

Spain was the latest country to join the list of global players that supported Morocco’s Autonomy proposal, and therefore breaking with decades of “neutrality” over the Western Sahara conflict.