Introduction
Recently, the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta in North Africa has been struggling to cope with a massive influx of irregular migrants. However, Morocco is turning this humanitarian crisis into a sovereignty dispute, with a senior official publicly demanding, in the presence of King Mohammed VI, that Spain return its North African territories of Ceuta and Melilla.
I. A Declaration of Sovereignty at a Religious Ceremony
According to Europa Press, King Mohammed VI of Morocco presided over a religious ceremony on Monday at the Royal Palace in Rabat to commemorate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. During the ceremony, the Moroccan Minister of Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, delivered a highly controversial speech.
In front of the King, the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister, and numerous senior officials, Toufiq described Ceuta and Melilla as ‘occupied territories’ and called for their ‘liberation’ from ‘Iberian (Spanish) occupation.’ This move marks a public escalation of Morocco’s official territorial claims.
II. Citing History to Build Legitimacy
To support his claim, Minister Toufiq presented arguments from historical and religious perspectives. He highlighted two eminent Islamic figures born in Ceuta: the 11th-12th century judge Qadi Iyad and Al-Azafi, a member of a ruling family. Toufiq emphasized that the scholarly and religious activities of these two figures are part of Morocco’s spiritual heritage, thereby attempting to establish a deep historical and cultural link between Ceuta and Morocco.
He also cited the famous North African religious text ‘Dalail al-Khayrat,’ stating it was historically used as a tool to mobilize the populace and boost morale with the goal of ‘retaking the Atlantic coastal cities that were then under Iberian rule.’ Through these arguments, Toufiq aims to build historical and religious legitimacy for his sovereignty claim.
III. Escalating Territorial Claims
Toufiq’s remarks are not an isolated incident. Just last Friday, Morocco’s Minister of Justice publicly declared that Morocco has ‘historical tradition and geographical sovereignty’ over Ceuta and Melilla, advocating for the ‘return of these two territories to the motherland.’ The successive official statements indicate that Morocco is systematically pushing its territorial claims onto the international stage.
IV. The Migration Crisis Behind the Dispute
The backdrop to this sovereignty conflict is the severe migration crisis unfolding in Ceuta. Since the end of July, a large number of irregular migrants have poured into the city, which has a population of only about 80,000. Currently, between 8,000 and 10,000 migrants remain on the streets. This has placed immense pressure on public health and social order, with calls to the emergency number (091) increasing tenfold.
In response to the crisis, the Spanish government has approved the activation of a ‘unified command’ mechanism, led by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Ángel Víctor Torres, to coordinate the repatriation and settlement of tens of thousands of irregular migrants. Against this backdrop, Morocco’s linking of the migration issue with sovereignty undoubtedly complicates the situation for Spain.
