King Felipe to Visit Ceuta After Summer Migration Crisis

Spain's King Felipe and his wife are expected in Ceuta on Tuesday, 13 October. Ceuta is a Spanish city and enclave on the North African coast, bordering Morocco, and it is still recovering from a migration crisis unlike any it has faced before. The trip also carries political weight: it comes before Spain's general election on 29 November, in which migration is a major issue.

How the crisis unfolded

On 30 and 31 July, more than 70,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco. That is close to the city's whole population of about 80,000. Most went back within hours, but thousands stayed for weeks in makeshift camps and emergency shelters.

On Sunday, more than 350 police officers and soldiers took part in an operation to clear El Guano, the last major informal settlement. Its residents were moved to reception centres.

A divided community

The crisis has exposed deep divisions in Ceuta, where Muslims make up around 40% of residents. Some locals have called for tighter border controls, while others have criticised hostility towards migrants. In El Príncipe, a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood, residents sheltered women and children. Community representative Ahmed Enfed-Dal condemned attacks on shelters and attempts to block Red Cross food deliveries.

The visit

The royal couple are expected to meet local officials and representatives of civil society. On Wednesday they will travel to Melilla, Spain's other enclave in North Africa. It is their first visit to the two enclaves since 2007. Morocco's territorial claims add a further diplomatic dimension to the trip.