Morocco’s King Mohamed VI has renewed the country’s longstanding claim over the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla during a high-profile religious ceremony in Rabat. Held at the royal palace mosque to mark Al Mawlid, the event drew the king and his son Mulay Hasán. His brother Mulay Rachid was there as well. The ceremony’s official address, delivered by Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Tufiq, referenced historic Islamic scholars from Ceuta and described the cities as “occupied,” echoing Morocco’s traditional stance on the enclaves.
The timing of these remarks matters. Morocco faces renewed migration pressures at the Ceuta border, where tens of thousands of irregular migrants crossed in late July. The government’s response has been muted. Prime Minister Aziz Ajanuch, who attended the ceremony, has avoided public comment since the crisis began. His silence has drawn attention, especially after reports surfaced of his private trip to Mallorca shortly after the border incident. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Abdelatif Uahbi has spoken out, demanding that Spain return all unaccompanied Moroccan minors from Ceuta and linking acceptance of deceased migrants’ bodies to the repatriation of these children.
Other government ministries, including Interior and Foreign Affairs, have issued statements but largely avoided direct political confrontation. The Justice Minister’s position stands out as he campaigns for his party’s candidate, Fuzi Lekjaa, ahead of the September 23 legislative elections. Lekjaa, a technocrat and head of the Moroccan Football Federation, is seen as a potential future prime minister. The coalition’s third partner, the nationalist Istiqlal Party, has traditionally championed the “Moroccan identity” of Ceuta and Melilla. During the current crisis, but, it has kept a lower profile, limiting public statements to support for Uahbi’s remarks.
Past incidents show how sensitive the issue is. Three years ago, Enaam Mayara, then president of Morocco’s upper house and a senior Istiqlal figure, faced backlash after suggesting Morocco could reclaim the cities by force. The comment drew criticism from official media and led to his departure from the chamber’s leadership. The episode exposed the delicate balance Moroccan officials must strike when discussing the Spanish enclaves, particularly as diplomatic relations with Spain have fluctuated in recent years.
The renewed focus on Ceuta and Melilla comes as Spain faces domestic scrutiny over its handling of migration and border security. Recent political debates in Madrid have tied migration flows to broader questions of government accountability and property deals, as seen in the controversy surrounding Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s administration and its response to the Ceuta crisis. The issue also featured in a recent report on political fallout in Madrid, showing how developments in North Africa continue to reverberate in Spanish politics.
Ceuta and Melilla have been under Spanish control for centuries, yet Morocco’s claim remains a recurring source of tension. The cities are strategic border points and symbols of national identity for both countries. With legislative elections approaching in Morocco, the issue is likely to stay in the spotlight, with potential implications for bilateral relations and migration management in the region.
