EU President Ursula von der Leyen and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will visit the African country of Mauritania to discuss migration, security and energy with African President Moham.
BARCELONA, Spain — Two senior EU leaders will arrive Thursday in the African coastal nation of Mauritania, where they will sign a migration deal with the president as the number of migrants making the dangerous Atlantic crossing from West Africa to Europe soars. It's planned. security and green energy.
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez arrived in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott to meet with President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.
Approximately 7,270 migrants landed in Spain's Canary Islands in January alone. The archipelago is used as a stepping stone to the European continent, and this is about the same number as in the first six months of 2023.
The Canary Islands were already struggling with record numbers of arrivals last year, when around 40,000 people arrived on its shores by boat from West Africa.
Despite both Spain and Mauritania patrolling the coast, the majority of migrants arriving this year have left poor countries.
Mauritania has been hailed as a key partner of the EU and Spain in the fight against smuggling, and is considered one of the most stable countries in the volatile Sahel region. Many of the migrants on smugglers leaving Mauritania come from neighboring Mali and Senegal.
European authorities are expected to sign off on several green hydrogen financing and development projects as part of the EU's energy transition initiative, in addition to announcing further funding for immigration control and humanitarian aid. .
