However, the two countries recognize different lengths of the border. There is a rule at Werder Bremen: they only accept talents for their youth training center at an appropriate age. Morocco’s blocked border with Spain brings suffering. Morocco has confirmed over 65,450 cases of novel coronavirus, including 1,216 deaths. Some of those unable to cross the border have been dismissed, Merouane said. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. An agreement between Morocco and Spain exempts cross-border workers from needing a visa. googletag.defineSlot('/1031787/Expatica_ES_New_Homepage_Leaderboard_ATF', [[300, 250], [728, 90]], 'div-gpt-ad-1535959544637-0').defineSizeMapping(Expatica_ES_New_Homepage_Leaderboard_ATF).addService(googletag.pubads()); Like all governments, the authorities have to weigh lockdown measures against the need to keep the economy alive. No part of this website may be reproduced without written permission from the publishers. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. The government had promised to build a commercial zone to help ease the fallout from the loss of the once lucrative trade, but that work is at a standstill. The “La Raya” is the international land border shared between Spain and Portugal. These cookies do not store any personal information. addSize([800, 0], [[728, 90]]). But while those who opted to stay on the Spanish side kept their jobs, they have since faced other challenges. Click below to consent to the use of this technology on our website – and don’t worry, we respect your privacy. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It is compounding wider economic misery for Morocco. “Everything is at a standstill,” said 43-year-old Mohamed Bouhlal, who worries how to pay his rent. Official figures predict the pandemic could push the country into its worst recession since 1996, with a contraction of more than five percent of its GDP. addSize([1280, 0], [[728, 90]]). Laura Taylor is a graduate from the University of Leeds. More than 8,000 people — including restaurant staff and business traders, housekeepers and those working in tourism — have lost their jobs in the two enclaves, unions say. “Everyone is going back to work, so why not us?” said Fadwa, whose income supported six members of her family, including her unemployed husband. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls. Fattouma Chairi, 73, has been commuting across the border for half a century. Fattouma Chairi, 73, has been commuting across the border for half a century. A tale of three presidents and subsidy removal, For and against the quest for a president of Igbo extraction (3).