Morocco Bound

Irregular migration to Spain declined significantly in 2025 following a record year in 2024, according to official figures. The drop was driven primarily by a sharp reduction in sea crossings to the Canary Islands, long one of Europe’s most dangerous migration routes. Enhanced maritime surveillance and expanded cooperation between Spain, the European Union, and key departure countries in West and North Africa played a central role in reducing Atlantic crossings. At the same time, arrivals to Spain did not disappear but shifted geographically, with increased landings reported in the Balearic Islands via the western Mediterranean. The figures highlight how enforcement measures can reshape migration patterns while leaving underlying pressures and humanitarian risks largely unchanged.

The US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being closely watched across Africa, not as a regional Latin American event, but as part of a broader pattern of great-power behavior toward the Global South. African institutions, governments, and analysts are reading the raid alongside long-standing grievances over external intervention, from France’s contested role in the Sahel to Russia’s expanding security footprint and the growing presence of other outside actors. While few African voices defend Maduro’s record, many express concern that the seizure of a sitting president without multilateral authorization reinforces a system where sovereignty and international law apply unevenly. The episode has intensified debates across the continent about precedent, deterrence, and vulnerability, particularly for resource-rich and non-aligned states, and has revived fears that hierarchy, rather than rules, still shapes how power is exercised in international affairs.

Moroccan financial intelligence authorities have intensified oversight of the real estate sector following a series of alerts from notaries and property professionals in major cities. Investigators are examining transactions involving stalled or distressed construction projects that were acquired through complex financial arrangements designed to clear debts and lift bank seizures. While the deals were formally compliant with tax and legal requirements, officials are assessing whether they were used to conceal illicit financial flows, with several cases now under in-depth review in coordination with domestic and foreign oversight bodies.

In 2026, U.S. visa policy is entering a more restrictive phase for large parts of Africa and the Middle East. Countries including Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, and Zimbabwe now face higher application costs, expanded biometric requirements, mandatory disclosure of social media and digital histories, and longer processing timelines. At the same time, several Sahel states have responded with reciprocal measures, suspending or banning visas for U.S. citizens. What began as a security-driven adjustment to immigration screening has evolved into a broader diplomatic signal, reshaping mobility, bilateral relations, and perceptions of U.S. engagement across Africa and the Middle East.