4,747 migrants who arrived in Morocco with the intention of migrating to Europe in the past two years have chosen to go back to their home countries, according to figures collected by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) seen by the Spanish news agency EFE.
The majority of migrants who request to return home are from Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Mali, and Cameroon.
Many factors could be the reason why these migrants have abandoned their journey, but ever since the Melilla tragedy that ended in several deaths, IOM has helped many Sudanese migrants to join their homeland.
IOM official, Jorge Domínguez de la Escosura explained to EFE that the organization has detected an increase in Sudanese people requesting to return to their country from 2021 to now, with two small peaks in requests, the first between September and October 2021, and the second between June and September 2022.
The same official explained that the lack of chances in Morocco, particularly at the socioeconomic level, and the challenges of integrating into the North African nation are among the main reasons why these people sign up for the voluntary return program.
“They want to return to their country because their migratory journey in Morocco, the decision to go to Europe, is blocked and made difficult, and they decide to start a new life in their country of origin.”
As for the first eight months of the year, Moroccan authorities have detained thousands of irregular migrants.
A legislative report indicated that 56,000 migrants were stopped from entering Europe illegally over the Mediterranean.
Migrants interested in the voluntary return process appear at the IOM offices in Rabat, Casablanca, or Oujda, and before NGOs associated with this international organization dependent on the UN.
IOM employees then assist registrants without passports in obtaining a safe-conduct from their embassies, which enables them to travel.
Once the applicants have arrived in their country, the IOM offices and their various partners begin the second phase of the program, which entails helping migrants reintegrate into their communities.
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