Moroccan Parliament Takes Part in Roundtable on the Challenges of Migration in the Mediterranean

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean organized a roundtable on Thursday, December 12, 2024, via videoconference, on "The challenges of migration and the means for reinforcing cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean to overcome the existing obstacles efficiently."

The roundtable featured the participation of the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Islamic Affairs, Migration, and Moroccan Expatriates Committee, Rep. Salma Benaziz, and the Chairperson of the Committee on Enhancing the Quality of Life, Exchange Between Civil Societies, and Culture at the PA-UfM, Cllr. Mohamed Zidouh (member of the Istiqlali Group at the House of Councilors).

In her intervention on this occasion, Rep. Salma Benaziz highlighted the leading experience of the Kingdom of Morocco in migration, noting that the Kingdom was one of the first countries to adopt a real solidarity policy to receive migrants under the respect of human rights and the migrants’ dignity.

Rep. Salma Benaziz added that migration poses several challenges, particularly ones of a humanitarian nature and ones linked to integration, foreign policy, and governance, in addition to other economic, cultural, and social challenges.

Besides, Rep. Salma Benaziz stressed the imperative of reinforcing regional and international cooperation to resolve the crises emanating from migration with a view to ensuring security and stability in the Mediterranean region. She also underscored the importance of dialogue and consultation between the countries of the Mediterranean to reach sustainable solutions to migration, establish a Mediterranean governance framework, and adopt an approach based on justice, rights, and solidarity.

For his part, Cllr. Mohamed Zidouh shed light on the efforts made by the Kingdom of Morocco to install security and stability in the Sahel and Sahara region. In this respect, he mentioned the Royal Atlantic Initiative aimed at enabling African countries to access the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the investments directed at development in the region. 

Cllr. Mohammed Zidouh also underscored the importance of enhancing local economic opportunities, advancing education and vocational training, reinforcing coordination between countries to control borders and combat irregular migration, elaborating programs to integrate migrants, and encouraging purposeful foreign investments.

Cllr. Mohammed Zidouh added that ending irregular migration also requires organizing awareness-raising campaigns on the dangers of this phenomenon, addressing climate change impacts, and coordination between governments, international partners, and local actors.

The interventions of the participants in this roundtable centered on a number of recommendations mainly aimed at prioritizing security and stability issues, working to find lasting solutions to regional conflicts, achieving economic development in Africa, dealing with migration issues from a human rights perspective, promoting cooperation and exchange of experiences between northern and southern Mediterranean countries to search for effective solutions to the challenges posed by migration, encouraging investments, and creating job opportunities.

The recommendations emanating from this roundtable will be included in the report to be presented at the "Parliaments of the South" Forum organized by the Spanish Presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean from January 26 to 28, 2025, in Lanzarote, the Canary Islands.