Operation Pas de l'Esret (OPE), the world's largest migratory movement between two continents, once again tests the coordination between Spain and Morocco. Government sources assure that the relationship between Madrid and Rabat is "at its best" and proof of this, according to the Government, is the device that allows the safe transit of people and vehicles, which has reached a historic figure: more than one million passengers crossed from Spain to North Africa between June 15 and July 26, 6.1% more than in 2002. And the busiest days start today.
In 2022, the OPE - which in Morocco is known as Marhaba - resumed with full normality after two years of suspension. In 2020 due to covid restrictions and in 2021 due to the diplomatic crisis between both countries. Last year, the operation was completed with a total of 1,430,340 passengers and 349,735 vehicles. This year it is expected to exceed all the figures.
From this Saturday until next Tuesday, these are the four days planned in the special plan as one of the periods with the greatest influx and traffic of people in this departure phase. During the days considered critical, the special plan establishes a series of additional measures, such as the interchangeability of tickets, which will help to speed up the boarding of passengers as much as possible. In the return phase, the biggest crowds are expected to take place on August 29, 30 and 31 and September 1.
The ports of Algeciras, Tarifa, Málaga, Motril, Almeria, Alicante, Valencia, Ceuta and Melilla participate in the OPE. In the departure phase, the ports of the bay of Algeciras, in Cádiz, are the ones that have concentrated the most volume of traffic, 70.9% of the total. 60.1% of the vehicles departed from Algeciras and 10.8% from Tarifa. On the other side of the Strait, the ports that receive the most volume of vehicles are Tanger-Med (43.3%), Tanger Ville (10.8%) and Ceuta (17.4%).
On the other hand, there are already 123,957 citizens who have returned to Spain from North Africa, 9.6% more compared to the same date in 2022. During this period, citizens who have passed through Spanish ports have counted with health and social assistance when they have requested it, according to the Ministry of the Interior. So far, 660 health and 2,234 social services have been carried out.
The department headed by Fernando Grande-Marlaska has coordinated this 34th edition of the OPE, which will last until September 15, but the Ministry of Transport, Health and Ecological Transition have participated. Likewise, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), the Red Cross and the State Meteorological Agency, among other bodies, have also participated.
To guarantee safe and smooth development, an integrated security device has been deployed by more than 19,000 agents of the forces and security forces of the State.
