Migration to Spain's Canaries surges

El Hierro, Spain's southernmost Canary Island, has developed into a primary arrival point for migration into Europe, with Red Cross numbers showing that by mid-November, the tiny Atlantic community had received 19,400 migrants — nearly double its resident population.

Spain's Canary Islands have seen a dramatic rise in the number of undocumented migrant arrivals by sea this year, with government figures showing 39,713 people reaching the archipelago by Nov 15, a 23-percent increase from the same period last year.

According to the European Union's border agency Frontex, this represents the fastest growth in sea arrivals among all EU entry points.

Reuters reported that El Hierro's small hospital, designed for its 11,400 residents, is struggling to cope with the influx of migrants fleeing from Mali, Senegal, and Morocco, with its 31 regular beds overwhelmed and emergency services now extending into corridors and temporary tents.

Despite its isolation, with flights limited to interisland connections only, El Hierro now accounts for half of all irregular arrivals to the Spanish autonomous region this year.

According to Frontex, smuggling networks are capitalizing on growing instability in the Sahel region, particularly Mali's Islamist insurgency, to send more migrants across the Atlantic Ocean to the Canary Islands, with winter months typically seeing increased numbers of crossings.

The majority of arrivals embark from Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia, with Malians representing the largest group — nearly 10,000 in the January-to-August period compared to 784 in the same period last year — followed by Senegalese and Moroccan nationals.

Migrants have been departing from ports along the West African coast — in Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia — crossing the Atlantic Ocean to reach the Spanish territory.

The surge in Canary Island arrivals contrasts with a broader decline in the number of irregular migrant arrivals across the EU.

The EU as a whole has witnessed a substantial decline in unauthorized entries this year, with Frontex reporting 191,900 arrivals through October — a 43-percent decrease.

This downward trend is particularly pronounced in Italy, where immigration control measures under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration have contributed to a 62-percent reduction, according to Italian government figures.

"The route to the Canaries has grown because other routes are blocked," said Alberto Ares, a migration researcher from the Spanish Comillas Pontifical University.

While Italy has reduced migrant arrivals through EU partnerships with Libya and Tunisia, similar diplomatic efforts by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez with West African nations have only slowed — not stopped — the flow to the Canaries, even as he advocates for controlled immigration to support Spain's economy.

While Italy remains the EU's primary destination, with 55,000 arrivals, the Canaries face unique challenges managing more than 5,600 unaccompanied minors, prompting authorities to expand from 30 to 84 shelters within a year.

To address the migration challenges, Spain's central government provided the Canary Islands with 100 million euros ($106 million) for 2022 and 2023, and a 50-million-euro package was agreed for this year.

jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com