The Origin and Evolution of Migration Governance Policy in Morocco: A Historical and Policy Analysis
Main Article Content
Abstract
Migration Studies is an interdisciplinary field that draws on sociology, economics, history, anthropology, law, and post-colonial studies. The discipline is enriched with studies on the causes of migration, the nature of migration, the effects of migration, laws on migration, and migration governing policies of various nation-states and international organizations. The rising number of migrants crossing international borders has made migration-governing policies of nation-states as the new center for academic inquiry and research in the emerging discipline of Migration Studies. One such unique case of migration governing policies is of Morocco. Morocco is a country in the north-western tip of the African continent and its geographical proximity to Europe makes it one of the most sought-after routes for migration to Europe by migrants. Morocco’s own trends of migration from the 1960s onwards, make its status uniquely rotating between sending country to transit country to host country of migrants. Another dimension in Morocco’s migration governing policy is the lack of indigenous African context and the predominance of the European Union’s policies. African context of migration governing policy can be developed by deducing major treaties, protocols, and frameworks like the Abuja Treaty (1994), Agenda 2063, Revised Migration Policy Framework for Africa, and Plan of Action (2018-2027) of African Union, etc. at the continental and regional level. Morocco has sought to move away from Africa’s migration governance framework and is an outright active member participating in European Union’s exhaustive migration governing policies. In this light, Morocco’s migration governing policy and its various facets provides a good case to be studied and analyzed in detail.
This study examines the origin and evolution of migration governance policy in Morocco, tracing its development from colonial times to the present day.
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