Spain's Sanchez visits West Africa aiming to stem migration surge

26/8/2024 19:55

        Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez starts his second visit this year to West Africa on Tuesday, aiming to curb migration to the Canary Islands and to the counter the Russian presence in the Sahel region.
        
        The West African migration route has seen a 154% surge this year, with 21,620 people crossing to the Canary Islands in the first seven months, according to data from the European Union border agency Frontex.
        
        The wave has stretched resources on the Spanish archipelago, with local authorities saying they may have to house migrants in military camps or even in tents ahead of an expected rise in arrivals due to calmer conditions in the Atlantic Ocean.
        
        Spanish authorities fear that as many as 150,000 more migrants from Africa may be set to make the perilous crossing in the coming months.