Morocco revives Ceuta and Melilla claim in front of King Mohammed VI

If Ceuta and Melilla weren’t already at the centre of political tension these past few weeks, new remarks made before Morocco’s king and crown prince are likely to deepen questions about where relations between Madrid and Rabat go next.  At a major religious ceremony in the Royal Palace in Rabat, Morocco’s Minister of Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, used historical and religious references linked to Ceuta while speaking in the presence of King Mohammed VI, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and senior state officials. 

His comments have been widely interpreted as reviving Morocco’s long-standing claims over the two Spanish cities.  The timing is significant. The remarks come less than a month after the mass entry into Ceuta at the end of July and only days after Morocco’s Justice Minister, Abdellatif Ouahbi, referred to Morocco’s “historical and geographical rights” over Ceuta and Melilla. 

Claims raised before Morocco’s highest authorities

Toufiq made the comments during celebrations marking Eid al Mawlid, the commemoration of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, one of the most important events in the Islamic calendar. During his speech, he referred to two Islamic scholars born in Ceuta before the city came under Spanish sovereignty in 1580. He also spoke about religious works that, according to Moroccan tradition, became symbols of the struggle to liberate “occupied cities” on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Spanish media and analysts interpreted the references as an indirect claim over Ceuta and Melilla. 

The setting gives the remarks added weight, This was not an interview or an isolated political comment. The speech was delivered in front of Morocco’s monarch, heir to the throne and senior political and military figures during one of the country’s most important religious ceremonies.  That has prompted fresh debate in Spain over whether Morocco is increasing pressure over Ceuta and Melilla through historical, religious and political messaging.

Why it matters to Ceuta and Melilla

For residents of Ceuta and Melilla, sovereignty is not an abstract diplomatic issue. The two cities sit on Europe’s southern border and play a key role in migration, trade and security between Spain, Morocco and the European Union. The issue has become even more sensitive since the mass crossing into Ceuta at the end of July, when more than 70,000 people entered the city in an unprecedented movement that overwhelmed local services and triggered a political crisis in Spain. 

Against that backdrop, statements touching on sovereignty are likely to attract much greater attention than they might have done only a few months ago. Morocco has maintained its claim to Ceuta and Melilla since independence in 1956, while Spain insists that both cities are an integral part of Spanish territory and therefore part of the European Union. The Spanish Government has already rejected recent Moroccan claims “categorically” through diplomatic channels. 

A new phase in the debate?

What makes the latest comments notable is that they come from two Moroccan ministers within days of each other and at a time when relations between Madrid and Rabat are already under intense scrutiny. Justice Minister Ouahbi spoke openly about Morocco’s claims last week. Toufiq’s remarks were more indirect, relying on religious symbolism and historical references rather than direct political demands. 

Whether this represents a coordinated shift in Moroccan messaging it remains unclear. What is clear however is that, after weeks dominated by migration and border security, Ceuta and Melilla are once again at the centre of a debate about sovereignty, identity and the future of relations between Spain and Morocco.