Irregular migrants arriving in the Canary Islands from Morocco have decreased by 42% since Pedro Sánchez sent a letter to the King of Morocco on March 14, since which relations between the two nations eased.
807 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands by sea from March 15 to April 15 compared to the 1,400 who arrived in the same period the previous year, according to figures collected by Europa Press and the latest data available from the migration report of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
Europa Press agency assessed 593 fewer people who reached the Canary coasts in boats or canoes in the last month compared to the same period of the previous year.
In addition to an intensified crackdown on migrants attempting to reach the Canary Islands from Morocco, officials from the neighboring countries signed an agreement that would permit the extradition of migrants who arrived irregularly to the Canary Islands, by opening two new lines from the Canary Islands to Casablanca and Agadir, in addition to an existing route to Laayoune.
The Spanish government expects the number of migrants who will be returned to Morocco to “significantly increase”, compared to pre-covid-19, according to sources who spoke to Spanish El Pais.
According to Spanish police data, in 2021, 40% of irregular migrants arrived on the Spanish coast from Morocco, 30% from Algeria, and 30% from sub-Saharan countries.
2020 and 2021 saw a considerable increase in the number of migrants attempting to reach Europe via the Canary Islands, assesses the IOM.
Analysts say difficult economic situations, exacerbated by the pandemic, in addition to insecurity and the climate crisis all contributed to the rise in migrants on this route.
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