EU strikes deal with Mauritania to stem flow of migrants

The European Union will invest 210 million euros ($229 million) in the West African nation of Mauritania, in return for its help in slowing the flow of migrants into the bloc via the Canary Islands.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani have all hailed the deal that was inked on Thursday by the EU's Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and senior officials from Mauritania.

The arrangement calls for Mauritania to stop people-smugglers heading to the Canary Islands from its shores. In return the EU will support new energy projects, roads, and other infrastructure improvements in the country.

Around 60 million euros of the investment will be used to boost migration management efforts in Mauritania, including through patrols in the country's territorial waters.

The Canary Islands, which are a Spanish autonomous archipelago around 1,000 kilometers off the coast of West Africa, have become a popular destination for migrants trying to enter the EU illegally, either to live there as undocumented workers, or to claim asylum.

Frontex, the EU's border agency, said the number of people who made the journey increased sharply during the past year, with the 566 who arrived in the Canary Islands during January 2023 rising to 7,270 people arriving this January. Spain's interior ministry said last week more than 12,000 migrants had arrived illegally on the islands in the first two months of 2024, placing a huge strain on their resources.

The Guardian newspaper quoted von der Leyen praising Ghazouani for his nation's support of the 150,000 refugees who have relocated there, largely from neighboring Mali. She said the bloc will make humanitarian aid available to help with the influx. She also said the EU will also help improve Mauritania's army, so it can secure its border with Mali, which is home to several armed militias.

"The situation in the (part of Africa known as the) Sahel is very precarious and Mauritania plays a key role in ensuring stability in the region," the paper quoted her as saying.

Sanchez described Mauritania as "the democratic reference for the stability in the Sahel, a crucial region for Spain and for Europe" and said the country has to grapple with challenges that include the fall of nearby democratic governments, the proliferation of terrorist groups, and the fast increase in the number of people seeking refuge.

The Financial Times said the agreement with Mauritania was the latest in a series of deals the bloc has struck in Africa recently in a bid to reduce the flow of migrants into Europe. Among them, Brussels reached an agreement with Tunisia last year and is working on one with Egypt.