Webinar: The Sahel and its impact on migratory flows to the Canary Islands

The Innovation for Migration Management initiative (IRLab) organized a session to examine geopolitical movements in the Sahel and their repercussions for the Canary Islands.

The Government of the Canary Islands held, on Wednesday, September 3, a webinar analyzing the geopolitical situation in the Sahel and its impact on migration flows to the archipelago, which was open to all interested participants.

The session featured interventions by Dr. Beatriz Mesa, Political Science expert; Beatriz de León Cobo, Director of the Spanish Institute for Migration Analysis (IEAM); and journalist José Naranjo, who addressed various aspects of the current situation, from political and security deterioration in the region to the impact on departures of boats toward the Canary Islands. The virtual session was presented by Octavio Caraballo, Deputy Counselor of the President’s Office, and Claudia Pérez, Coordinator of Innovation for Migration Management.

The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, had repeatedly expressed his concern over the lack of response from the European Union (EU) to the situation, which also affects migratory flows, and called for cooperation policies to enable countries in the region to achieve development and peaceful coexistence.

The expansion of jihadist violence, structural deficits in economic development and governance, and the repercussions of climate change create an increasingly unstable situation, which can affect not only the countries in this part of the African continent but also the surrounding region.

Routes and Risks

Indeed, the reduction in the arrival of migrants on the coasts of the Canary Islands in recent months does not mean that migration has ceased; rather, the points of departure are shifting southward, to less monitored areas, which entails greater risk for travelers.

The closure of borders in Mauritania and Senegal has forced trafficking networks to move further south and seek departure points in Guinea-Bissau and Guinea-Conakry. In this way, they evade the reinforced controls in West Africa. The distance between Conakry and El Hierro exceeds 2,200 kilometers, about 750 kilometers more than from Senegal or Gambia.

Added to this is the high birth rate in the countries of this region. 60% of the population of the Sahel is under 25 years old, and according to statistical projections, by 2050, 500 million people will inhabit these countries. This situation requires the creation of opportunities for the population in their respective countries as an alternative to emigration.

Conclusions

Migration has not ceased: routes adapt to controls. Cooperation between the EU and Africa, opportunities in countries of origin, and continuous monitoring of regional dynamics are required.