Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez travelled to West Africa on Tuesday as the European country tries to contain the number of people making the perilous journey across the Atlantic by boat to the Canary Islands.
The Spanish archipelago, located just off the African coast and used as a staging post for migrants and refugees trying to reach mainland Europe. According to the European Union’s border agency (Frontex), migration from West Africa has increased by 154 per cent this year, with 21,600 people crossing the Canary Islands in the first seven months. Spanish authorities fear the arrival of another 150 thousand migrants.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will start his visit in Mauritania and then head south to Gambia and Senegal. These three coastal countries have become the main departure points used by smugglers to launch overcrowded boats. Thousands of Malian refugees fleeing violence and instability are among those taking the dangerous Atlantic route to the Canaries, as well as unemployed youth from Senegal, Mauritania and other West African countries seeking better job opportunities abroad.
Moreover, an increasing number of teenagers and children are travelling alone to the Canary Islands, overburdening local authorities responsible for their care. Spanish authorities say they expect even more arrivals this autumn, when sailing conditions in the deadly Atlantic Ocean between West Africa and the Spanish archipelago become more favourable.
Sanchez will sign circular migration agreements with Gambia and Mauritania. It will allow workers from the countries to come to Spain for a short period to meet labour needs and then return home.
