The Spanish Prime Minister will start a three-day trip to Africa tomorrow, during which he will try to find solutions to boat migration.
19:42•Updated 20:13
Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez will start a three-day trip to West Africa tomorrow, Tuesday, during which he will visit Mauritania, Gambia and Senegal.
The reason is the problems of the Canary Islands, an autonomous region of Spain, with the rapid increase in the number of boat migrants.
President of the Canary Islands Fernando Clavijo described on Monday for El Mundo of the islands being “on the brink of collapse” as the number of boat migrants increases.
In the current year, 22,304 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands between January 1 and August 15. In the same period last year, 9,864 migrants arrived.
If boat migrants from Africa arrive at the same pace at the end of the year, up to 50,000 migrants may arrive in the Canary Islands this year. This would exceed last year’s record number of over 39,000 migrants.
Prime Minister Sanchez is now planning to negotiate with, among other things, Mauritania – where most of the boat migrants depart – so that the country’s authorities would curb boat traffic.
Many migrants are fleeing the security situation weakened by civil wars and extremism in West Africa. Migrants from the Canary Islands often try to continue to mainland Europe. The boat trip from West Africa to the Canary Islands itself is extremely dangerous.
Source: AFP