Why Morocco rejects EU's push for migration return centers?

The European Union is once again pushing “to establish return centers in Morocco for migrants deported from the bloc,” a proposal the Kingdom previously rejected, with media often claiming that “Morocco is leveraging the migration issue to pressure Europe for concessions, particularly on the Sahara conflict.”

In 2018, Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita made it clear that “Morocco is not willing to offer any of its land as a detention zone for migrants awaiting decisions on whether they will be allowed into Europe.”

“Morocco is fundamentally opposed to such centers, as it is a key part of our immigration policy and a matter of national sovereignty,” emphasizing that “these centers would have the opposite effect,” said the Minister.

“Immigration is not a political card in this issue,” countered Mohamed Chiker, a political analyst, in a statement to Hespress English, explaining that “Morocco’s decision is part of the country’s approach to addressing illegal migration.”

Chiker argued that Morocco has already gained recognition from the US, Spain, and France regarding its sovereignty over the Sahara.

He defended that “the kingdom already faces significant migration pressure, housing many migrants who were supposed to travel to the EU. Therefore, the proposal to establish return hubs would only exacerbate the issue.”

The expert explained that “Morocco is instead trying to convince its European partners that the issue should be addressed within a comprehensive framework, rather than relying on what he described as band-aid solutions that shift the burden onto non-EU countries.”

“Morocco should not be expected to shoulder a problem that the EU itself cannot resolve,” he concluded.

From his part, Driss Guenbouri, a political expert, told Hespress English that European media, especially Spanish outlets, often claim that Morocco blackmails Europe by using migration as leverage.

“These media portray Morocco as using migrants as a tool to pressure Europe and secure concessions in various areas, such as fisheries agreements and the Sahara issue,” he explained.

“This cannot be true, as resolving illegal migration issues is not solely contingent on Morocco, the Southern Mediterranean countries, or Europe. It necessitates a wider collaborative effort between African nations and the European Union,” emphasized Guenbouri.

France 24 previously reported, quoting Khadija Mohsen Finan, a researcher, that “Morocco is using immigration to pressure the EU, with its foreign policy largely driven by the Sahara issue. If the EU doesn’t back Morocco’s stance on the region, the country will control its borders as it pleases.”

For context, the European Commission proposed in October 2024 establishing return hubs in Morocco as part of a broader strategy to address the ongoing migration crisis.

In a letter to European leaders, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined plans to increase cooperation with countries along migration routes, including Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, and Mali, to prevent migrants from reaching European shores.

The Commission envisions creating “return hubs” outside the EU where migrants without a legal right to stay can be sent, similar to a recent deal between Italy and Albania.

Experts  previously told Hespress that “Morocco has firmly rejected hosting such centers on its territory for years, aware of the political, diplomatic, and human rights implications.”

The rejection also stems from the fact that “these centers conflict with international agreements on migrant rights that Morocco has signed.” Additionally, “these centers won’t address the root causes of migration but will instead lead to increased migration flows to the countries that agree to host them, bringing along political, social, and economic challenges.”