By Biran Gaye
Over 200 Gambians are languishing in a warehouse in inhumane living conditions off the border of Mauritania and Senegal after they were captured at sea by the Mauritanian navy.
According to Refugees in Libya, these Gambia migrants have been “stranded in Rosso, a village between border of Senegal and Mauritania, since their boat was intercepted in Nuoadhibuo more than 10 days ago.
This comes after Spain and Mauritania had signed a series of agreements in August to stem the surge in migrants making the dangerous Atlantic journey to the Canary Islands.
Spain had renewed cooperation between the two nations’ security forces to combat human trafficking. With financial and technical support from the European Union, Mauritania has been intercepting African migrants en route to the Canary Islands of Spain. Experts say political upheaval and economic turmoil in West Africa are pushing scores of migrants to travel from launch pad Mauritania to Spain’s Canary Islands on unseaworthy vessels this summer season.
Refugees in Libya say these migrants have been locked up in a warehouse for more than ten days with little to eat. In a footage shared by the organisation, the migrants were seen cramped up in a hanger, which almost has no ventilation. They could also be heard complaining about their poor living conditions.
The organisation added that the Gambian embassy says they have no resources to facilitate their return, which Foroyaa could not confirm as at the time of going to press. However, the Director of Migration and Diaspora Affairs said she could not comment on the matter when contacted by Foroyaa.
They deported them from Nouadhibuo to Rosso near the border with Senegal, migration activist Ebrima Drammeh reveals.
He said the Mauritanian authorities told migrants they have to buy tickets for themselves to return to The Gambia or continue to remain in the detention centre”.
Thus, he calls on the government, the International Organization for Migration, and the family members of these migrants to help them return to the country as soon as possible.
According to Spain’s interior ministry, this year has witnessed a fivefold increase in individuals attempting the journey from the northwest coast of Africa to the EU, primarily departing from Mauritania.
Meanwhile, there was a “significant drop” in irregular departures from Senegal and the Gambia in the first five months of 2024, according to a report from the migrant-focused NGO Caminando Fronteras.
The report did not specify the reasons for the change in migration routes, but several factors may contribute to the trend. These include developments in Senegal and the Gambia, increased crackdowns on migrants, and enhanced border and maritime controls along the Mediterranean route and at the Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta. These measures may be diverting migration traffic through Mauritania, a country with about 90% of its territory located within the Sahara Desert.
In recent years, the Canary Islands have emerged as the primary destination for undocumented migrants from the African continent entering Spain in search of a better life, despite the Atlantic being one of the deadliest irregular migration routes.
The Atlantic route is fraught with strong winds and currents. Boats veering off course can drift for months, ending up in distant locations where migrants can perish from dehydration and malnutrition.
The Interior Ministry of Spain reported that 55,618 migrants arrived by boat last year, with the majority reaching the Canary Islands, nearly doubling the previous year’s figures. As of this year, over 23,000 migrants have already arrived, according to the ministry.
According to Caminando Fronteras, 4,808 people died on the Atlantic voyage to the Canaries after departing from Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia, between January 1 and May 31, making it the deadliest route between Africa and Spain, with 95% of migrant deaths.
