How should Spain deal with more migrant arrivals, especially to the Canary Islands?

Migrant boats on southern Spanish coasts has been a story for the last 340 years but last year’s surge in arrivals, especially to the Canary Islands, and particularly to the small island of El Hierro, is a vivid illustration of a complex and multifaceted crisis. Arrival numbers in 2023 soared by 82%. Over 50,000 people turned up, and almost 40,000 of them did so in the Canary Islands. At its core, this situation is a confluence of economic disparities, political instability and migration route shifts in the years after the Covid pandemic. And it’s all mixed in with polarised national populist identity politics.

Migrants, primarily hailing from African nations such as the Sahel region, Morocco, and sub-Saharan Africa, are driven by the stark contrast in economic opportunities and living conditions between their home countries and Europe. This disparity creates a compelling push factor, prompting many to undertake dangerous journeys in search of a better life. The Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, perilous though it is, has become an alternative due to increased surveillance and stricter migration policies in the Mediterranean.

The role of Spanish authorities and local communities, especially in places like El Hierro with its small population, is crucial. They are tasked with managing the reception and processing of migrants, but the challenge is overloading strained resources and testing the resilience of these communities. The broader implications of this crisis extend to the European Union and the governments of African countries. Their policies and actions together significantly influence migration patterns and responses. And we must not forget the smugglers and trafficking networks, which facilitate these dangerous journeys for a profit.

Ensuring the safety and humane treatment of migrants, given the dangerous journey and limited resources in destination areas, must be the priority, but the situation causes significant political and social impacts, fueling anti-immigrant sentiments and influencing immigration policies within Spain and across the EU, in parallel to similar dynamics with the United States and its southern border with Mexico. Addressing the root causes through foreign aid, development programs, and political stabilization efforts in countries of origin would appear to be essential, and more rational complex cooperation, not more divisive national identity politics, is needed between European and African states and international organisations.

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