Rabat, August 17, 2026 — The Europe Today: Morocco is fully assuming its role and responsibilities in addressing irregular migration, while demonstrating significant operational capacity in managing migration flows, UN human rights expert Louis-Marie Bouaka has said.
In a statement to the Moroccan news agency MAP, Bouaka, a former regional representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for Central Africa, said Moroccan security services had demonstrated strong operational capabilities supported by continuous monitoring mechanisms.
He said these mechanisms enable authorities to anticipate developments and respond effectively, reflecting institutional experience built over more than a decade of adjustments and operational practice.
Bouaka, who is also a member of the Scientific Council of the International Institute of Geopolitical Studies (IIEG) in Montpellier, warned that poorly managed migration flows could become a source of regional tensions and instability.
Conversely, he said, effective migration management, such as that demonstrated by Morocco, could contribute to regional stability and strengthen cooperation.
However, Bouaka stressed that no country, regardless of the effectiveness of its institutions, could bear the responsibility of migration management alone over the long term.
“Migration management is inherently a shared responsibility,” he said, underscoring the importance of coordinated international efforts.
The UN expert called for permanent and constructive dialogue among all stakeholders, including countries of origin, transit countries and destination countries in Europe and Africa.
He said such dialogue was more important for building lasting resilience against future migration challenges than any isolated measure or unilateral action.
Bouaka also recalled Morocco’s strategic shift following the launch of its new migration policy in 2013.
He noted that Morocco, once viewed primarily as a transit country for migrants seeking to reach Europe, had increasingly developed into a country of reception and regularisation, including through several regularisation programmes for sub-Saharan migrants.
According to Bouaka, this evolution demonstrated an early recognition that migration management could no longer be addressed solely from a security perspective, but needed to incorporate humanitarian considerations and regional cooperation.
He stressed that continued coordination between African and European countries would remain essential to addressing the complex and evolving challenges associated with irregular migration while promoting stability, human rights and sustainable regional cooperation.
