Marrakech – The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) in Switzerland has announced a series of deportation flights scheduled to take place in the coming weeks, marking a significant development in the ongoing negotiations between Bern and Rabat concerning the repatriation of undocumented Moroccan nationals. This decision follows a period of heightened tension between the two nations regarding the return of their citizens.
Recent reports from the Swiss media outlet Blick indicate that 353 Moroccans are currently mandated to leave Switzerland, with a notable concentration in the canton of Bern where 83 individuals reside, and 41 of these have been actively identified. The urgency of this announcement coincides with increasing migration pressures in Europe, particularly highlighted by the crisis at Ceuta, a Spanish enclave outside the Schengen area. In early August, Zurich cantonal police conducted random checks on flights arriving from Spain but reported no significant irregularities.
Despite the announcement, practical challenges remain significant. In Bern alone, 23 individuals have gone missing, while 14 others are either in pretrial detention or currently serving prison sentences, as revealed by state councilor Philippe Müller from the PLR party. Müller advocates for extending deportation detention periods to a minimum of one and a half years, a significant increase from the current few months, which are only applicable when removal is deemed imminent. He posits that individuals in Morocco who are aware of potential criminal charges would perceive Switzerland as less appealing if they understand that such offenses would result in immediate incarceration and subsequent expulsion.
In March, Müller expressed his concerns in a letter to Federal Councilor Beat Jans, which was later obtained by Blick. He accused the Moroccan government of slow responses, particularly in criminal identification cases, which can take weeks, while the embassy sometimes requires over a year for processing expulsions. He highlighted a specific case involving a Moroccan youth who faced multiple arrests and dangerous conditions from ages 9 to 13, yet the embassy failed to respond to requests for consular support, which Müller views as a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This reluctance from the Moroccan government to accept back minor offenders has been linked to Switzerland's position on the Western Sahara issue, a stance that has historically strained relations with Rabat. However, in a pivotal shift during a visit to Bern in April, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita met with Federal Councilor Jans and his counterpart Ignazio Cassis, where they emphasized the need for enhanced migration cooperation. Following this meeting, a joint statement recognized Morocco's Autonomy Plan as a viable and pragmatic solution to the ongoing dispute and welcomed UN Security Council Resolution 2797.
The momentum of cooperation rapidly increased thereafter. Between February and March, only one identity was confirmed, but this number surged to 185 in April, stabilizing at 14 per month in May and June, indicating a significant uptick in identification processes compared to previous months. Furthermore, on May 22, State Secretary for Migration Vincenzo Mascioli journeyed to Rabat to formalize a returns agreement with Khalid Zerouali, Morocco’s director of migration and border surveillance. This agreement aims to streamline identification procedures from 150 days to just 30 days, accelerate the issuance of travel documents, and expedite the identification process, with Morocco already having provided over 200 identifications prior to the agreement's finalization.
In addition to these developments, both governments have committed to enhancing economic and police cooperation, including the exchange of training and expertise. They also coordinate through the Rabat Process, which Switzerland currently chairs, and Morocco is set to become a priority nation for Swiss development cooperation by 2025. The SEM has reported that the number of forced returns in the first half of 2026 is on track to match the total number for all of 2025, indicating that the recent surge in identifications will likely lead to increased deportations in the near future.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
