Church in Morocco assists migrants returning from Ceuta

By Augustine Asta

Several days after the mass arrival of migrants, the border between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta is gradually returning to normal. According to Spanish authorities, nearly 60,000 people crossed the border, most of them by swimming around the Bab Sebta border crossing. Moroccan authorities say that almost all of them have since returned to Morocco.

While Madrid and Rabat differ on the number of migrants involved and on the death toll, the crossing claimed dozens of lives. Spanish authorities report at least 67 deaths, while Morocco's Ministry of the Interior has confirmed 11 identified fatalities.

In an interview with Vatican News, Archbishop Emilio Rocha Grande, O.F.M., Archbishop of Tangier, explains that migrants returning from Ceuta arrive back in Morocco exhausted and hungry. The local Catholic Church, which has worked with sub-Saharan migrants for many years, suddenly found itself facing a major migration crisis and is now trying to assist those who attempted the journey and have returned home.

Thousands of young Moroccans travelled to Fnideq hoping to reach Ceuta. What is the situation on the Moroccan side of the border today?

The situation has now reversed because the overwhelming majority of those who crossed have voluntarily returned to Morocco. Things are therefore much calmer, but the tragedy remains, with reports putting the death toll at around 100.

This migration crisis caught us completely by surprise and prevented us from responding adequately. Ten or twenty thousand people arrived all at once. They had no intention of staying here; they simply wanted to cross. We therefore provided the most basic assistance we could—water and food—but only within the limits of our resources.

What does this new wave of departures tell us? Does it reflect the despair of part of Morocco's younger generation?

It is important to understand that Morocco is not currently a poor country in the sense that people are dying of hunger. It is a country experiencing strong economic growth. However, that growth and development do not benefit everyone, especially many young people.

Morocco has a very young population, and it is impossible to provide jobs for everyone. Many young people feel that the economic opportunities created by development remain out of their reach. This creates deep frustration.

At the same time, the media portray Europe as a paradise. Moroccans living in Europe come home for holidays and often speak very positively about life there, even if their own circumstances are not especially favorable. As a result, the temptation to leave is very strong. Many believe that simply arriving in Europe will solve all their problems—that they will find work, housing, and a better future. These expectations have been built up over many years. For many of them today, Europe represents paradise.

The Church in Morocco has long supported sub-Saharan migrants as well as vulnerable people more generally. How is the Church experiencing this crisis, and what are its priorities today?

For many years, the Church in Morocco has worked tirelessly alongside sub-Saharan migrants, who arrive in large numbers hoping eventually to enter Europe. The Diocese of Tangier is the final staging point because it lies directly on the Mediterranean.

The diocesan migration office has long provided medical, social, legal, and emergency assistance. Through Caritas, we also devote considerable effort to helping vulnerable Moroccans through carefully targeted projects.

Here in Tangier, for example, we run a shelter for children living on the streets. Today there is strong cooperation with the Moroccan authorities to assist people in vulnerable situations.

After the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo XIV expressed concern about the tragedy of the tens of thousands of migrants who recently tried to reach Spain from Morocco. He called for a solution that promotes peace, stability, and justice in Ceuta. What was your reaction to the Pope's remarks?

We received them as prophetic words, but also as a challenge—not only for the Church, but also for political leaders who have the ability to act.

The next challenge is integration. We must avoid situations where newcomers become isolated in ghettos, because that benefits neither migrants nor the local communities that receive them. Political institutions and religious communities must work together as partners in this effort.

The Church has its own role and resources, but this is fundamentally a political issue. We must not speak of migrants as though they were objects to be moved around according to convenience. Every person possesses inherent dignity.

For us, every individual is a child of God, deeply loved by the Lord just as we are. When we look at each face, we are called to respond as the Church while also engaging in dialogue with European and Moroccan political institutions in order to promote a more balanced and humane approach to migration.

This requires both reason and compassion, and it is not easy. That is why we welcomed the Holy Father's words—their practical nature, simplicity, and depth—as truly prophetic words that encourage us to continue this journey.

During his apostolic journey to Spain, particularly during his visit to the Canary Islands, Pope Leo called for addressing the root causes of migration and warned against allowing the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to become "cemeteries without gravestones." What message does the Church in Morocco have today for political leaders on both shores, and for young people tempted to leave?

Our message to young people is that Morocco is a country where it is possible to live, work, and build a future. It is a country with many opportunities. They should not allow themselves to be carried away by the images presented in the media and on social networks that portray Europe as an earthly paradise.

It is possible to work and build a life in Morocco as well.

At the same time, we must acknowledge the real needs that exist and remember that people are not numbers. They are human beings with faces, stories, dreams, and plans. Every person is unique and irreplaceable.

We therefore need to deepen dialogue with the European Union and its member states so that we can become genuine partners. Together we must find ways to support one another in promoting development—not only for Morocco but for Africa as a whole—in ways that also benefit Europe. Europe has much to contribute to Africa, and sustained dialogue is essential.

The Church can bring valuable experience to this conversation because it does not merely work for migrants—it lives with them. We are present where those preparing to leave live, and many sub-Saharan Africans are already integrated into our Church and our communities.

This gives us the experience needed to be a credible partner for political and social authorities. But above all, the human person must remain at the center of every discussion.