The official held a meeting with the Wali, Director of Migration and Border Surveillance at the Ministry of Interior, Khalid Zerouali, as part of the Frontex-Morocco meeting, the third of a set of annual discussions held within the framework of the Frontex-Morocco joint committee.
“Today I am welcoming the Moroccan delegation to Frontex on the margins of international Border Police Conference, taking place on October 26-28 in the Polish capital. I am very grateful for such a good and rich delegation coming here,” she told MAP.
The European official highlighted the role of Morocco as a “gateway” to the African continent, stressing the close collaboration between the Kingdom and Frontex to address common challenges.
For the European Union and Frontex, “Morocco is the gateway into the African continent. We are sharing lots of challenges and are working closely together to overcome these difficulties and prepare better future,” she stated.
The meeting between Kalnaja and Zerouali focused on cooperation in the field of border management.
“Frontex acknowledges the immense efforts made by the Moroccan authorities to address the challenges of migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings and other types of cross-border crime,” Kalnaja added.
The official also expressed Frontex’s commitment to “further strengthen our partnership with Morocco as a reliable and credible partner, so that we can tackle those challenges together.”
As a follow-up to the meeting, the two parties will work together in implementing a joint roadmap, including activities in the area of coat guard cooperation, risk analysis and addressing trafficking in human beings.
The 25th International Border Police Conference (IBPC) brings together the law enforcement community to discuss contingency planning for emergencies at the borders.
Efficient responses to crises, cross-border health threats and ensuring the protection of migrants and refugees are among the key items on the agenda of this international event.
