Macky Sall orders Premier to curb illegal migration to Canary Islands right from home

Senegalese President Macky Sall Wednesday November 8 instructed the country’s Prime Minister to curtail all illegal migration attempts via the sea to the Spanish autonomous territory of the Canary Islands, after hundreds of Senegalese, including women and children, were rescued over the week-end off Mauritania’s coasts.

“The Head of State referred to the National Strategy to Prevent and Combat Illegal Emigration, asking the Prime Minister […] to take urgent security, economic, financial and social measures,” Cabinet spokesman Abdou Karim Fofana said following a cabinet meeting with the country’s leader.

The aim of instruction is to “neutralize the departure of emigrants from the national territory”, Fofana added.

The official also indicated that the ministries of Defense, Security, Justice, Foreign affairs, Youth, Employment and Entrepreneurship, Fisheries and Maritime economy have been associated to the implementation of the strategy.

The Cabinet decision comes in the wake of the death of 13 Senegalese migrants on Saturday November 4 off Mauritania’s coasts. Their vessel capsized. Over 600 other people including women and children were rescued and sent back home.

In July 2023, the country rolled out a national strategy to curb illegal migration after a dozen of migrants were found dead on Dakar’s shores, probably drowned at sea.

In October 2023, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Spain’s Interior Minister, indicated the country’s civil guard will step up surveillance operations on the coasts of Senegal and Mauritania to curb illegal migrations from the two African countries.

Some 12,500 migrants had been prevented from making the journey so far this year as part of cooperation with Senegal and Mauritania. The number of arrivals by sea to the Canary Islands has increased 80% compared to the same time last year, Interior ministry figures indicated.