An exchange transaction for mutual benefit, that is the plan. The federal government wants to make it easier for qualified workers from Morocco to enter the German labor market – and deport rejected Moroccan asylum seekers more quickly than before. Morocco, in turn, is hoping for support from Germany, whether in security issues or in the qualification of workers. In October, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) traveled to Rabat with a large entourage for initial discussions. Now she reports: Things are progressing. Germany has agreed on a “comprehensive migration partnership” with Morocco.
“We want to consistently enforce the repatriation of people without the right to remain. And on the other hand, we want to recruit qualified people who we urgently need in many areas of our economy,” explained Faeser. Joachim Stamp, the Federal Government’s special representative for migration agreements, was in Morocco on Tuesday. We will “work on it in a trusting and friendly manner”, to reduce irregular migration and strengthen legal routes into the labor market for the benefit of both countries, he explained.
Morocco hardly took any of its own citizens back
However, nothing was agreed in writing. So it is not an agreement like the one the federal government signed with Georgia. In Morocco, only “close migration cooperation” was agreed verbally. The Federal Ministry of the Interior said on Tuesday that both sides had agreed on intensive cooperation “on a practical level”. A written agreement was not even planned in the end. One could also put it another way: There is progress, but cautious steps remain.
During Faeser’s trip to Morocco in October, the minister never tired of emphasizing that Germany was speaking “on an equal footing” with the Moroccan government about a “migration partnership.” Under no circumstances should Rabat be given the impression that the Federal Republic is putting pressure on the Kingdom of Morocco to finally issue replacement papers to its own citizens after unsuccessful asylum procedures in Germany. Lately this has only rarely been the case. Morocco hardly took any of its own citizens back, also because of the conflict over Western Sahara. That should change now.
Many of those forced to leave the country include intensive offenders
The number of Moroccans who are required to leave the country and who can be deported from Germany is not very large. In the middle of last year there were almost 900 people. However, according to information from security circles, there are an above-average number of intensive care offenders. The federal government would like to get rid of them. Morocco’s government has apparently signaled its willingness to do so. In return, Germany should help train Moroccan border guards.
At the same time, around 40 percent of young people in Morocco cannot find work after completing an apprenticeship or studying in their own country. In the future, Germany wants to make it easier for them to access jobs or further training in Germany, especially in the area of care. Morocco hopes that one day they will return highly qualified – Germany is more likely that they will stay.