Canary Islands sees migrant arrivals surge over 30 years: Video
The Canary Islands has marked the 30th anniversary since it first received the very first migrants on its shires.
The occasion aims to look back on 30 years since two young men from Western Sahara first arrived on their shores. Their journey was the beginning of a long and perilous migration route that has since seen over 200,000 people make the treacherous journey across the Atlantic, risking everything on overcrowded, rickety boats in search of a better life in Europe, the AFP reports.
The commemoration comes on the back of the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s diplomatic mission across Africa. Starting in Mauritania and continuing to The Gambia and Senegal, Sánchez expressed his hopes to strengthen partnerships with these nations to help curb the flow of migrants to the Canaries.
The islands have been overwhelmed by a record 39,910 arrivals in 2023, and that number is on track to rise even further this year.
