Morocco says 'ready' to repatriate irregular migrants in Europe

When migrants stormed a barbed-wire fence in Morocco as they attempted to cross the land border with Spain on September 15, 2024. [AFP]

Morocco on Tuesday said it was ready to take back its nationals who migrated irregularly to Europe, blaming host countries for repatriation delays.

It comes as French lawmakers have called for stricter migration policy after a Moroccan irregular migrant was arrested on suspicion of killing a 19-year-old French student last month.

French authorities had previously ordered his deportation in relation to a previous rape conviction, but Rabat has been blamed for not issuing a laissez-passer document allowing for his repatriation.

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on Tuesday said the kingdom was "ready to repatriate any irregular migrant who is certified to be Moroccan and who left from Moroccan territory".

"Morocco is ready, but is the other party ready?" he said during a press conference, adding that Rabat did not "need to receive lessons" on the fight against irregular migration.

The murder suspect was arrested in Switzerland on September 25, four days after the body of a 19-year-old female student was found in the woods in western Paris.

He had already been convicted of a rape he committed in 2019 and was ordered to leave the country.

After his arrest, French authorities said Morocco did not respond to their request to issue a laissez-passer for his immediate repatriation.

Rabat later said the request had not been correctly issued.

France's new right-wing government has pledged to clamp down on migration.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has recently vowed to introduce new migration regulations to "protect the French".