"Greater Morocco" and the events in Ceuta
In the wake of the events in Ceuta, the Spanish chapter of the Eurodefense network prepared a report on Morocco's expansionist behavior.
The report by Eurodefense-España analyzes how the Kingdom of Morocco pursues a "Greater Morocco" project through hybrid warfare against Spain, using unregulated migration as a political and strategic weapon to force territorial concessions.
A central element of Rabat's strategy is the Western Sahara issue. Following its occupation via the Green March in 1975, Morocco has refused a UN-mandated referendum on self-determination for the Sahrawi people. Nevertheless, Rabat achieved diplomatic successes, including US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty in 2020 and a shift in stance by Spain, Germany, and France in favor of Morocco's autonomy plan. However, a major setback for Rabat occurred in October 2024, when the European Court of Justice invalidated the EU-Morocco trade and fisheries agreements due to the absence of consent from the Sahrawi people.
The most recent flashpoint occurred on July 30 and 31, 2026, when an estimated 80,000 migrants entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta en masse. Spanish police reports and witness accounts confirm that Moroccan authorities actively facilitated this incursion or deliberately relaxed border controls during Morocco's Throne Day. The mass crossing caused severe disruption, security incidents, and an extreme strain on local facilities in Ceuta, while Moroccan ministers once again explicitly laid claim to Ceuta and Melilla.
The report emphasizes that Ceuta, Melilla, and the Canary Islands are historically and constitutionally integral Spanish and EU territories and have never been Moroccan land. Both the European Commission and the European Parliament condemned the weaponization of migration as a threat to the EU's territorial integrity.
The report calls on the EU to revise return procedures, finance border defense, and make financial and trade benefits for Morocco strictly conditional on reciprocity and respect for Spanish sovereignty.
Abstract: Gemini AI
Picture: Wikimedia Commons Florian Sauerland (CC BY-SA 4.0), depicting the Strait of Gibraltar, seen from a plane flying southwest of the strait. Europe with Gibraltar, Algeciras and Tarifa is on the top right, Africa with Ceuta and Morocco on the bottom left.
