Overview of the Comprehensive Security Plan
The Comprehensive Security Plan for Ceuta and Melilla was designed to enhance surveillance around mosques, ensure the supply of essential goods, and manage access to these cities. The plan emerged as an urgent response to the alarming influx of 15,000 Moroccan migrants into Ceuta in May 2021, yet it has remained largely unimplemented despite its inception nearly five years ago. The Spanish government has been caught up in high-level meetings and diplomatic exchanges with Morocco, which have overshadowed the original focus on security measures. The plan was first announced on May 27, 2021, by Iván Redondo, then director of the Cabinet of the Presidency, who presented it to a Joint Commission on Security in the Cortes alongside a broader National Security Strategy (ESN) that was to be ratified that year.
Initially, the proposal was driven by the National Security Department under General Miguel Ángel Ballesteros, following a significant migration crisis marked by a mass entry of migrants through the Tarajal beach just days before. However, after Redondo's departure from the cabinet, the plan lost its political backing, despite receiving bipartisan support from the PP and Ciudadanos. While the ESN was approved on December 28 and published at the year's end, it has yet to translate into concrete actions. It emphasizes the need for special attention to Ceuta and Melilla to ensure the safety and well-being of their residents. In June 2022, a National Security Situation Committee meeting was convened, resulting in the formation of a working group to address the Comprehensive Security Plan, albeit six months later than anticipated.
Challenges and Current Status of the Security Initiative
The security plan has faced numerous administrative hurdles, leading to its stagnation. Early meetings included representatives from various ministries, yet local governments of Ceuta and Melilla were notably excluded to prevent tensions between the Defense and Interior ministries. Significant diplomatic events, such as the March 2022 letter from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recognizing Morocco's autonomy proposal for Western Sahara and a subsequent joint declaration in April, shifted the government’s focus away from security concerns toward strengthening relations with Morocco. This shift in priorities was underscored by the government's response to a question in the Senate regarding the progress of the security plan, which indicated that work on strategic objectives was still forthcoming.
In the eyes of seasoned diplomats, the urgency to bolster defenses against hybrid threats has receded in favor of diplomatic rapprochement with Morocco, complicating the security initiative further. Among the measures still deemed necessary for safeguarding Ceuta and Melilla is the monitoring of mosques funded by Morocco and the imams who travel to and from the country, aimed at preventing incitement to unrest. Surveys indicate that the population of Moroccan descent in these cities remains pro-Spanish and European, resisting any inclination to embrace Moroccan nationality despite retaining it. The demographic situation remains complex, particularly in neighborhoods like El Príncipe in Ceuta, where accurate census data is essential. The plan also emphasizes the need to secure supplies of essential goods, particularly water, which the cities rely on from desalination plants vulnerable to outages. Furthermore, in times of crisis, ensuring uninterrupted access to food and medical supplies is critical, especially as Melilla's airport operations depend on Moroccan airspace and Ceuta's port faces undisclosed vulnerabilities. The future of the Comprehensive Security Plan remains uncertain as the government continues to prioritize other diplomatic engagements over urgent security needs.
As reported by elperiodico.com.
