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Rabat – The Spanish Canary Islands, off the coast of Morocco, has seen a large increase in migration attempts, according to new data from European border agency Frontex.
Despite significant efforts by Moroccan agencies to curb migration to Europe, the Canary Islands route saw 6,600 irregular migrants in January. The number represents a tenfold increase compared to last year’s numbers, and occurred as migration attempts on Europe’s other borders generally declined.
Still, Morocco, Algeria, and surprisingly, Bangladesh, are the top origins of migrants attempting to cross into Europe via the Western Mediterranean, where migration attempts fell by 66% compared to the previous month.
The Western African migration route into Europe now accounts for nearly half of all irregular migration into the continent.
With unrest, economic stagnation, and political upheaval in much of the Sahel region, the Spanish archipelago appears to have become a focal point for many desperate people seeking a way into Europe’s tightly guarded borders.
According to Frontex, “criminal groups” in Mauritania have been “quick to seize opportunities presented by the increased demand from sub-Saharan migrants transiting their country seeking to enter the European Union via the Canary Islands.”
The European border agency points to Mauritanian “people smugglers have been cramming an increasing number of migrants onto small wooden fishing boats known as Cayucos, putting the lives of the people on board in even larger danger,” said the border agency.
Euronews spoke to migrants on the Canaries, who highlighted that migrants are increasingly young and convinced that a crossing to the island chain would lead to a European residence permit or economic opportunities.
In this recently released “Annual Brief,” Frontex reported a “substantial rise” in irregular migration in 2023, with sea routes as the largest avenue for desperate people attempting to reach Europe. The border agency expects that “irregular migration will remain a significant challenge in 2024,” with natural disasters or unrest potentially worsening the situation.
