EU focus on irregular migration in Mediterranean ignores Canary Islands, claims president

Fernando Clavijo met Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner in Strasbourg. “When you close one door, migrants exit from another.”

Transcript

00:00The Canary Islands has called for EU solidarity over the latest migrant crisis,

00:06seeing thousands pouring into the Spanish archipelago.

00:09The Canary Islands President, Fernando Clavejo, said during a meeting with the EU's Home Affairs Commissioner,

00:16Magnus Brunner, in Strasbourg on Tuesday that his region suffers from less focus from the EU than the Mediterranean,

00:24in relation to irregular migration.

00:27We understand that it is unfair that only one government has to bear all the pressure,

00:32without knowing when or how many will come.

00:35So what we want is for the mechanisms of solidarity to be activated within the EU,

00:40and of course also within Spain,

00:42and that a number of 5,800 minors distributed between Europe or within the Spanish territory

00:50is perfectly acceptable.

00:52The so-called Atlantic Route saw almost 47,000 arrivals last year,

00:57an increase of 18% compared to 2023.

01:01Around 9,757 people died last year along this route.

01:07Well, these are communicating vessels.

01:10The EU has shielded the Mediterranean,

01:13and when you close one part, the migration comes out the other.

01:17What is being generated is an accumulation in countries like Morocco, Gambia, Senegal or Mauritania,

01:22mainly Mauritania, waiting to make the leap.

01:26Despite thousands of deaths along the Atlantic Route,

01:29Canary's government says it also wants the EU to conclude agreement with African countries

01:35and deploy Frontex officials there.

01:38But the key, in Clavejo's opinion, is to boost economy in departure countries.

01:51Frontex's presence in a third country is more complex to arrange,

01:55and requires a working agreement approved by the EU.