Maroof Ahmed

Across the Atlantic Ocean in the Kingdom of Morocco, a crisis of emigration is taking place. The idea of immigration to Europe is engrained deeply into the culture of Moroccan society. The country’s lack of employment and its close proximity to Europe (about 10 miles to Spain) highlights one of the most explosive concerns between developed and developing nations.

In Morocco, the results of illegal immigration have created a deep strain with its European neighbors, particularly Spain. Although cooperation over illegal immigration has increased, no feasible long-term solutions have been put forward to address this burgeoning problem. It is quite a sensitive issue for all the parties involved. For one, it acknowledges the dire situation and desperation of so many Moroccans.

On the other hand, Europeans must come to grips about assimilating these new immigrants.

While it is the dream of many to start a new life in Europe, many find immense difficulties adapting to their new countries once they arrive. Those that choose to immigrate illegally often lack higher education and are relegated to menial labor for the rest of their lives. They do not always adapt to their new surroundings, don’t learn the local language, and hold fast to their traditional ways of life. Immigrant children raised in Europe under these conditions have far fewer opportunities than other children around them despite being born in the same country.

The consequences of immigration have brought European-Muslim relations to the front burner.

Despite the progress that has been made from the era of the Crusades, the battles with Turks in Byzantium, and the Spanish Reconquista, immigration threatens to spoil the understanding reached between these nations. Moroccans in particular are often singled out and resented by xenophobic Europeans. Many Muslims in Europe believe their rights are being trampled upon and lose sight of the greater socio-economic issues that Europe is grappling with.

As much as Europe doesn’t want these immigrants, the truth is Europe needs immigration. The populations of several European countries have already begun to decline and get older and soon there will be labor shortages that will need to be addressed.

Immigration will fill this void and maintain the efficiency of these economies while boosting economic growth. Immigration is also important to the social fabric of a society and assures its dynamism by getting people from different ethnic origins to interact and live together.

The American model, although not perfect, is a good example of how immigrant communities have contributed to the improvement of society.

Several policies have been implemented to address this problem of illegal immigration from Morocco. An immediate response by the Spanish government was to bolster perimeter security at its North African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, and the Canary Islands.

Joint Moroccan-Spanish naval patrols have also been instrumental in stopping boats. In Spain and other European countries, the government has taken several steps to normalize the status of illegal immigrants already living in their respective countries.

Meanwhile, Morocco has undergone many changes to boost the standard of living and encourage its citizens to remain in the country. The government has launched an ambitious national development program to boost employment and resources particularly in rural areas.

New business-friendly reforms are being adopted and foreign direct investment into the country has risen sharply with no signs of abetting. Europe already has a Free Trade Agreement in place with Morocco and plans to extend provisions to further increase trade.

In addition to the improving economic conditions, Morocco has witnessed development in social and political spheres. School enrollment of children has nearly doubled in the last twenty years and the adult literacy rate has seen a vast improvement as well. And thanks to new social reforms, women’s rights in Morocco are among the most progressive in the Arab world. In the political arena, elections are free and the government is largely democratic although it still heeds to the word of the King. The government has also improved on its human rights record and the press exercises an unprecedented amount of freedom.

These are important steps in solving the problem but don’t address some of the larger issues. There needs to be more aggressive legal action taken against traffickers who take advantage of people seeking to immigrate and put them in dangerous situations.
European nations must also further commit to the development of poorer nations by investing in businesses, boosting employment, and encouraging immigrants to be active members in the development of their original countries. Europeans should also do more to protect migrants’ rights against exploitation and facilitate a better process for legal immigration to address their demographic and labor needs.

Another more discreet problem that needs to be tackled is Moroccan’s perceptions of Europe. Since the majority of the population have satellite TV and access to European programming and the internet, the media has opened Moroccan eyes to a very distorted and romanticized view of the outside world. Moroccans also are accustomed to seeing streams of tourists coming from abroad with money and enjoying the best of what Morocco has to offer while they are relegated to their own place in society. Ex-pat Moroccans that come back home during their vacations also exacerbate the situation by bringing cars and other expensive gifts to family and friends. While many Moroccans are able to succeed in Europe, those still in Morocco need to understand how difficult the lives are for many of their former countrymen and not be so easily sucked into such a fantasy.

In the end, Morocco and its European neighbors will have to further their cooperation over immigration. The European Union needs to adopt a comprehensive plan that can be implemented throughout the continent. Encouraging a course of legal immigration, promoting economic development, and presenting a more realistic view of immigration are keys towards diffusing many of these tensions.