MOROCCO-SPAIN | The Dispute over Ceuta and Melilla

The border dispute between Spain and Morocco over the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, as well as over a number of other smaller territories, is one of the most unusual territorial disputes in international politics. While it rarely causes serious tensions, they are a point of friction between the two countries and can sometimes flare up, as happened in May 2021. So, what is the border dispute between Spain and Morocco all about and what caused the latest bout of tensions between the two countries.

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Since the 15th century, Spain has controlled a number of territories in North Africa. As well as Ceuta and Melilla, these include Velez de la Gomera, Alhucemas, the Chafarinas Islands and the tiny uninhabited islet of Perejil. Today, these represent the last vestiges of European territory on the continent. However, Morocco contests Spanish sovereignty, arguing that these are occupied territories and that they should be returned. Although Spain refuses to enter into negotiations, the two countries have tended to have good relations otherwise. However, occasionally tensions do flare up. This was seen when the two countries came close to war in 2002 over the tiny islet of Perejil. In May 2021, the issue again came to the forefront of international attention when when thousands of migrants made their way into Ceuta after Morocco lifted border controls in retaliation for Spain's decision to offer medical treatment to the leader of the Polisario Front, which is fighting against Morocco in Western Sahara. This marked a new development in this long-standing dispute between Madrid and Rabat over a rather strange collection of territories.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction and Titles
0:55 Border Disputes and Enclaves
2:11 Ceuta Melilla and the other Disputed Territories
3:22 Spain's Control over Melilla and Ceuta
4:45 Tensions and the Perejil Crisis
7:15 The Migrant Crisis in Ceuta
10:34 The Border Dispute between Spain and Morocco

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FURTHER READING & USEFUL SOURCES

1991 Treaty of Friendship https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publicati...
Morocco Foreign Ministry https://www.diplomatie.ma/en
Spain Foreign Ministry http://www.exteriores.gob.es/portal/e...
Making Morocco https://amzn.to/2SA1XYX

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KEYWORDS

#Morocco #Spain #Ceuta
#InternationalPolitics #CurrentAffairs #InternationalRelations
#Secession #Statehood #Independence
#InternationalLaw #InternationalHistory
#Melilla #BorderDispute #Conflict

CREDITS

Perejil from the air
Adam Cli, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ceuta Border Fence
Youtryandyoutry, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Juan Carlos
Image by א (Aleph) CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

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