Andalusia and Ceuta reject migrant transfers and demand returns to Morocco

Rejection of migrant redistribution

Andalusian regional president Juanma Moreno and Ceuta president Juan Jesús Vivas met on 1 October 2026 at the Palacio de San Telmo in Seville to coordinate their response to Ceuta's ongoing humanitarian crisis. Both leaders reaffirmed their joint refusal to activate a 2021 bilateral agreement designed to transfer unaccompanied migrant minors to mainland Andalusia during migration emergencies. Instead, both officials stated that the mass border entries that occurred on 30 and 31 July 2026 constituted an invasion and a violation of Spain's territorial integrity rather than a standard migration event. Vivas reported that basic public services in Ceuta, a city of 83,000 residents, remain severely deteriorated after an influx of between 80,000 and 90,000 people, with 15,000 still remaining in the enclave. Search teams have recovered 91 bodies from the sea, including three minors, following swim-in crossing attempts.

During the joint press conference, Vivas insisted that the only viable solution is to repatriate everyone who entered during the July surge.

The only way to prevent this from happening again is through the return to Morocco of all the people who arrived on July 30 and 31, both adults and minors.

Demands on the central government

Both regional leaders directed criticism at the central government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, urging state ministries to expedite repatriations to Morocco. Moreno referenced earlier declarations by Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, who stated that irregular arrivals must return to Morocco. Moreno noted that the European Union and the Moroccan government had both expressed willingness to proceed with returns, questioning why Spanish national authorities have delayed the process. Left-wing opposition parties had previously urged the Andalusian government to activate the 2021 assistance pact to relieve pressure on Ceuta's municipal shelters. Moreno rejected those calls, stating that inter-regional emergency agreements were created for conventional migratory flows.

Moreno reiterated that the nature of the July border crossing placed it outside normal administrative mechanisms.

We have used and implemented the agreement against a normal migration phenomenon, but this is not a normal migration phenomenon. It is an invasion, a violation of the territorial sovereignty of Spain.

Economic and transport agreements

Alongside migration policy, the two administrations presented a package of economic and connectivity measures to assist Ceuta. The regional government of Andalusia offered Ceuta businesses direct access to Andalucía Trade, an agency network operating across five continents to support commercial internationalization. The agreement also establishes bilateral business meetings organized through provincial chambers of commerce, following an initial cooperation visit to Ceuta by Seville Chamber of Commerce president Francisco Herrero on 16 September 2026. Academic collaboration will expand through a joint initiative between Andalusia's General Secretariat of Universities and the University of Granada.

Maritime links and tourism recovery

Transport infrastructure forms a core part of the bilateral pact, including plans for a regular maritime connection between Ceuta and the Port of Málaga to supplement existing helicopter flights. The Andalusian government is also studying administrative options to implement a 25% discount on ferry passenger tickets connecting Ceuta with mainland ports. Tourism authorities launched a promotional social media campaign to aid local operators across the Strait of Gibraltar, with plans for joint marketing once the immediate crisis eases. Following the San Telmo summit, Vivas concluded his official agenda in Seville with a visit to the headquarters of the Seville Chamber of Commerce.