The government wants the African Union (AU) to lead broader discussions examining the root causes of irregular migration, including economic hardship, conflict and insecurity that drive people to leave their home countries. The initiative follows weeks of protests demanding the deportation of undocumented migrants and reports of attacks against some foreign nationals.

International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola said Wednesday that South Africa is advocating for a coordinated continental response that also considers migration pressures elsewhere in Africa, including the recent mass border crossing from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where more than 80 people died.

Regional Leaders Expected to Discuss Migration

Migration is expected to feature prominently during the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit later this month in Durban, where leaders from countries including Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe are scheduled to attend.

Those countries have been repatriating some of their citizens from South Africa following recent unrest and rising anti-immigration sentiment.

South Africa’s call for broader discussions follows the African Union’s decision last week to reject a proposal by Ghana to place South Africa’s migration tensions on the agenda of the bloc’s October coordination meeting. Pretoria argued that such a move would unfairly single out one country instead of addressing migration challenges affecting multiple regions across Africa.

Lamola said he recently held discussions with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and representatives of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as part of diplomatic efforts surrounding the issue.

According to Lamola, future talks should examine the economic, political and security factors driving irregular migration throughout the continent.

Domestic Protests Continue

Anti-illegal immigration groups have continued holding demonstrations across South Africa, demanding stronger border security, faster deportations and stricter enforcement of immigration laws.

Organizers have pledged to stage protests every Thursday until their demands are addressed.

The demonstrations have also raised concerns about the safety of foreign nationals, with some migrants reporting violent attacks during the unrest.

Government figures show that approximately 68,000 people were repatriated between June and July. Officials said most were citizens of Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, although authorities have not distinguished between voluntary departures and formal deportations.

Border Management Measures Adjusted

South Africa’s Border Management Agency has also reduced the capacity of its temporary repatriation facility in Musina, near the Beitbridge border crossing with Zimbabwe, from 20,000 people to 1,500.

The move comes as authorities continue reviewing border management operations while balancing domestic political pressure, humanitarian concerns and relations with neighboring countries.

Although South Africa hopes to elevate migration policy discussions to the African Union level, no continent-wide meeting has yet been scheduled.

This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.

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The political dispute follows the arrival of an estimated 72,000 migrants in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta over two days, triggering one of the largest migration emergencies in the territory’s history. Spanish and Moroccan authorities said more than 80 people died during the crossings, while most migrants later returned to Morocco.

The crisis has prompted renewed debate over how the European Union should respond to large-scale migration while balancing border protection with humanitarian obligations.

European Leaders Split on Migration Policy

The issue dominated discussions among EU leaders in Brussels, where several governments questioned Spain’s handling of the crisis.

Although many leaders publicly expressed support for Sánchez after the meetings, analysts said the dispute highlighted broader divisions within the European Union as it simultaneously confronts security concerns involving Russia, economic competition with China and evolving relations with the United States.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for stronger external border controls and announced plans to reinforce Italy’s air and maritime monitoring involving Spain.

Analysts noted that the political disagreement extends beyond Ceuta itself.

Matteo Villa of the Italian Institute for Political Studies said relatively few migrants arriving in Ceuta ultimately travel to Italy, while Nando Sigona, a professor at the University of Birmingham, said Meloni also opposed Spain’s proposal to potentially legalize hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants, making the issue politically significant across Europe.

Court Ruling Fuels Political Debate

A recent ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court became a central point of disagreement.

The decision requires legal procedures before migrants arriving by sea can be deported, unlike those who enter Ceuta through its land border or by climbing the border fence.

A joint letter signed by Meloni and 21 other European leaders argued that the ruling encouraged more migrants to attempt the crossing.

Sánchez rejected that criticism, saying Spain’s response complied with European law and humanitarian obligations.

He argued that criminal smuggling networks misrepresented the court’s decision to encourage migrants to travel to Ceuta and noted that Spain had previously supported other EU countries by accepting migrants relocated from Belarus in 2021 and Italy’s island of Lampedusa in 2023.

Spain and Morocco Exchange Accusations

Spain and Morocco also offered differing explanations for the crisis.

A senior Moroccan diplomat said Rabat believed Spain’s court ruling created expectations that migrants arriving by sea would receive greater legal protection.

Spanish officials rejected that claim.

Defense Minister Margarita Robles called on Morocco to investigate how tens of thousands of migrants were able to approach the border within such a short period.

Gil Arias, a former deputy executive director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), said Moroccan authorities were likely aware of the large-scale movement toward Ceuta.

The Moroccan diplomat dismissed that suggestion, saying Morocco should not be expected to serve as “Europe’s police.”

Migration Debate Extends Across Europe

The Ceuta crisis has renewed wider discussions about the European Union’s migration strategy.

Several member states continue supporting stricter border enforcement under the European Migration and Asylum Pact, which expands powers to detain, process and return migrants to designated safe countries or external return centers.

According to Frontex, irregular border crossings into the European Union fell 37% during the first half of 2026 compared with the previous year.

Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens attributed the decline to stronger cooperation with neighboring countries.

Migration advocates, however, argued that the humanitarian challenges exposed by the Ceuta crisis remain unresolved.

Michele LeVoy, director of the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants, said political disagreements continue to overshadow the humanitarian needs of migrants.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the events in Ceuta demonstrated the need for stronger European mechanisms to respond when migration is used as a geopolitical tool while preserving coordinated action among EU member states.

This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.

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Spanish officials said about 860 children were still in Ceuta on Monday, four days after tens of thousands of migrants crossed into the territory from neighboring Morocco by swimming around border barriers or entering through the sea.

Authorities said 72 people died during the crossing, most of them in the Mediterranean Sea. Morocco separately reported 11 additional deaths that are not included in Spain’s official toll.

Teenager Describes Family Tragedy

Among those waiting for assistance is a 17-year-old girl from Tangier who said she became separated from her mother after witnessing her younger brother drown during the crossing.

The Associated Press is not identifying the teenager because she is a minor in a vulnerable situation.

She said her family joined thousands of others hoping to reach Ceuta in search of better opportunities. During the crossing, she said she saw Spanish police recover the body of her 8-year-old brother from the water.

After reaching the enclave, she survived with food and clothing provided by local residents. One woman allowed her to bathe at her home before she sought help at a government-run youth center, which had already reached capacity.

“I saw people stepping on the dead,” she said through a translator. “Now we are children begging on the street.”

Associated Press journalists also observed other migrant children asking residents for food.

Spanish Law Provides Protection for Minors

The estimated 860 unaccompanied children account for a significant share of the roughly 3,000 to 5,000 migrants who remain in Ceuta after an estimated 60,000 people crossed into the enclave.

Most adult Moroccan migrants have either returned voluntarily or been sent back by Spanish authorities.

Under Spanish law, adults may apply for asylum, although Moroccan nationals are rarely granted humanitarian protection if their applications are denied.

Unaccompanied children, however, are entitled to government protection and care.

An Associated Press journalist witnessed Spanish soldiers escorting a Moroccan boy toward the border despite his repeated pleas not to be returned.

Local residents intervened, telling soldiers the child was a minor. After media arrived at the scene, a Spanish Army lieutenant colonel stopped the repatriation and transferred the boy to the Spanish Civil Guard.

Reception Centers Struggle to Cope

Ceuta’s main migrant reception center, designed to accommodate about 600 people, remains full.

According to Associated Press journalists, food shortages have also been reported, while many migrants continue sleeping on beaches and in the surrounding hills because no shelter space is available.

Those remaining in Ceuta include not only Moroccans but also migrants from Sudan, Gaza, Afghanistan and several African countries.

Ramsés Mohamed Azumik, a migration activist with Asociación Elín, accused authorities of allowing conditions to deteriorate in an effort to encourage migrants to return voluntarily to Morocco.

He said hunger, thirst and exhaustion were placing increasing pressure on people who remain in the enclave.

Spanish authorities continue processing asylum requests and providing protection for unaccompanied children. However, hundreds of young migrants still face an uncertain future as officials work to manage one of the largest migration emergencies in Ceuta’s recent history.

This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.

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The military will assist Spain’s Civil Guard in restoring security along the border. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska are scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday to oversee the government’s response.

The mass crossings have intensified pressure on Spain as authorities work to regain control of one of the European Union’s external borders.

Border Security Overwhelmed

Officials in Ceuta requested urgent support from Spain’s central government after large groups of migrants crossed into the enclave on Thursday.

Spain’s government said the armed forces would support the Civil Guard in maintaining public order throughout the city.

Rachid Sbihi, head of the association representing Civil Guard officers stationed in Ceuta, described the situation as unprecedented.

“The border has totally collapsed,” Sbihi told The Associated Press.

He said authorities could not provide an accurate count because migrants continued arriving in large numbers.

Video from the border showed crowds, most of them Moroccan nationals, walking around the Tarajal beach breakwaters and entering Spanish territory.

Many appeared to be young men, although families with women and young children were also among those crossing. Some migrants shouted “Viva España!” as they entered Ceuta.

Spain’s government delegation in the enclave confirmed that at least nine people died during Thursday’s events but did not specify the cause of the fatalities.

Bodies were seen in the water near the crossing point. Local authorities also said dozens of people have died this year while attempting to reach Ceuta.

Spain and Morocco Coordinate Response

Spain’s Interior Ministry said Moroccan authorities were cooperating to help contain the crossings.

According to the ministry, Moroccan police intercepted numerous people attempting to reach the border.

Madrid and Rabat also agreed to work together to facilitate the return of migrants who entered Ceuta illegally.

Although migration attempts had been increasing before Thursday, officials said they had not identified a definitive reason for the sudden surge.

Morocco’s government had not publicly commented on the incident, and its Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment, according to the supplied material.

Spain’s Interior Ministry also rejected calls from Ceuta’s regional government to declare a national emergency.

The ministry said Spain’s emergency legislation does not classify migration flows as a national security emergency and that government agencies remain fully coordinated to manage the situation.

Regional Pressure Grows

The crisis prompted concern elsewhere in Europe.

According to the supplied material, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni threatened to suspend Italy’s participation in the Schengen open-border arrangement with Spain, saying the move would be intended to protect Italy’s borders and public safety, despite the two countries not sharing a land frontier.

Ceuta regional president Juan Jesús Vivas had previously warned that migrant reception centers were operating beyond capacity after more than 1,500 people entered the enclave during the previous week.

Thousands more crossed overnight into Thursday, leaving hundreds of migrants sleeping outdoors.

Spain’s Interior Ministry declined to provide updated migration figures before its next official report, scheduled for Aug. 3.

Government data published through July 15 showed nearly 3,000 migrants had reached Ceuta by land or sea so far this year.

Longstanding Migration Route

Local authorities have linked the recent rise in arrivals to a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that prevents the immediate return of migrants arriving by sea without legal process.

The ruling does not apply to migrants entering Spain over land, including those crossing Ceuta’s border.

Some Moroccan human rights activists questioned whether the ruling contributed to the latest surge, arguing that most migrants were unlikely to have known about the court’s decision.

Ceuta, located on Spain’s North African coast, remains one of the main entry points into Europe for migrants seeking economic opportunities or fleeing conflict.

Many attempt the crossing by swimming several kilometers from the Moroccan towns of Fnideq or Belyounech.

The latest events recalled the May 2021 migration crisis, when more than 8,000 migrants entered Ceuta within two days during a diplomatic dispute between Spain and Morocco over the Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali.

Spanish authorities are now focused on restoring order, managing humanitarian needs and coordinating with Morocco on border security and migrant returns.

This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.

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