AA/Tunis/Majdi Ismail
Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, on Friday met with the regional president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, in La Palma – one of the islands of the Spanish archipelago – where they discussed illegal immigration, reports ”Euronews”.
Boats full of irregular migrants are arriving in the Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean and closer to the northwest coast of Africa than mainland Spain.
Among these irregular migrants are thousands of unaccompanied minors whom the archipelago is trying to care for.
According to data published by the Spanish Interior Ministry, more than 22,300 people arrived on the archipelago between January and mid-August this year, a 126% increase compared to the same period last year. Among these illegal migrants, at least 5,500 minor children and teenagers arrived alone.
Pedro Sánchez did not make any statement after the meeting, but his Minister for Regional Policy and Democratic Memory, Angel Victor Torres, who is also the former regional leader of the Canary Islands, assured that the discussions with Fernando Clavijo had been fruitful, according to Euronews.
Angel Victor Torres announced 50 million euros ($55.6 million) in aid for the archipelago on behalf of the Spanish government. “This is a minimum amount. The exact amount will be announced in the coming months,” the territorial policy minister said.
The issue of illegal immigration will be at the heart of Pedro Sanchez’s trip to West Africa next week, where he will visit Mauritania, Gambia and Senegal, the main departure points for migrants by boat headed to Europe. This is his second trip to Africa in six months.
The Atlantic route between West Africa and the Canary Islands is one of the deadliest routes in the world.
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