The European Union remains cautious regarding the expulsion of Spanish nationals from key cities in Western Sahara, a measure recently ordered by Moroccan authorities. The EU's chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, responded to a written question from Spanish MEP Ana Miranda—known for her support of the Polisario Front—on April 9. Her reply, published on Monday, May 26, reflects this cautious stance. While the Galician MEP had hoped for a strong condemnation of Morocco's actions, Kallas, who is also the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, merely reiterated that the EU's 27 member states «reaffirm the importance they place on respecting human rights both within their own territory and globally». She added that human rights issues are addressed within the framework of the EU-Morocco Association Agreement and during regular exchanges with Moroccan authorities. Kallas also noted that the EU maintains an ongoing dialogue with civil society and NGOs that monitor human rights issues closely. She highlighted that Morocco's membership in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023–2025 term offers new opportunities for engagement on these matters. «The EU's position is to strongly support the efforts made by the United Nations (UN) to continue the political process aiming to reach a just, realistic, pragmatic, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise and in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions», Kallas concluded. In her written question, MEP Ana Miranda had called on the European Commission's Vice-President to «publicly condemn these repeated expulsions» from Laayoune and Dakhla and to «make it clear to Morocco that it must allow unrestricted access to Western Sahara».
