The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, stressed this Tuesday in Mauritania that the “Migration is not a problem for Spain” but “it is about moral principles, solidarity and dignity and also rationality because it is fundamental for our economy.”
This was stated in an institutional statement after a meeting with the President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Mohamed Sheikh El Ghazouaniat the Presidential Palace in Nouakchott, at the start of his tour of Africa which will also take him to Gambia and Senegal, in full swing migration crisis especially on the road to the Canary Islands.
The head of the Executive explained that for Spain Migration “not a problem” because, he stressed, this is influenced by “a discourse that is unfortunately increasingly present in Europe”, in reference to the extreme right, but rather by a “necessity”, since he affirmed that it is about “wealth, development and prosperity”. In this sense, he stressed that the contribution of immigrant workers to the economy is essential to support the pension system or social security.
On the other hand, Sánchez and Ghazouani agreed this Tuesday to elevate the relationship between the two countries with the holding periodic bilateral summits from 2025 like those that Spain already maintains with other countries such as Morocco. The first of these meetings It will be next year and will be held in Mauritania.
The joint declaration signed by the two countries on the occasion of the Sanchez’s visit underscores desire to deepen in cooperation in areas such as migration, health and security and extending it to other areas of mutual interest.
The joint statement considers cooperation on migration to be a priority in bilateral relations and they commit to continue working towards safe, orderly and regular migration while stressing the importance of so-called circular migration.
Likewise, the text highlights the importance of the launch this Tuesday, coinciding with the visit of Sánchez, of the Bilateral Business Committee to strengthen relations between their respective private sectors. It also includes the decision to open an extension of the Cervantes Institute in Nouakchott.
Airport transit visa for Mauritanians
Mauritanian citizens are required, from this Wednesday, to present a airport transit visa in Spain, a measure aimed at putting an end to irregular emigration.
As reported by the Spanish Embassy in Mauritania in a statement, “the Spanish government has accepted that Mauritanian nationals holding an ordinary passport will need to have an airport transit visa to transit through the international areas of Spanish airports.” The text indicates that the The measure will come into force this Wednesday.
The Spanish Embassy explains that this is a “preventive measure” in accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2, of the European Union Schengen Visa Codewhich aims to stop the increase in the flow of irregular migrants.
The same source indicates that the measure “may be reviewed if the situation improves”, and stresses that this new decision does not concern Mauritanian citizens when they hold a residence visa or another type of visa, or a residence card which allows entry into the Schengen area.
Trip to Gambia and Senegal
Wednesday morning, Sanchez to move to Banjul in what is the first official visit of a President of the Spanish Government to the smallest country on the continent. Here, in addition to meeting its President, Adama Barrow, and signing with him the Circular Migration Agreement, you will have the opportunity to discover for yourself the work carried out by the Civil Guard and the police in collaboration with the Gambian forces.
After that, he will move to Dakarwhere the Cervantes Institute, the first in sub-Saharan Africa and whose first stone was laid by Sánchez, will host a conference in which the Africa Advances strategy prepared by the Ministry of Economy will be presented and which aims to finance projects that promote development and investments in emerging sectors in these countries to boost training and take advantage of existing human capital.
As early as Thursday morning, Sánchez plans to hold breakfast with Spanish businessmen with interests in Senegal to learn directly about their situation and concerns. Contacts will then take place with the new administration of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, elected last March.
In addition to his meeting with the President, with whom he will sign agreements, the President of the Government will also meet the Prime Minister, Ousmane SonkoThe sources stressed that relations with the new Senegalese president continue to be as good as with the previous one, Macky Sall, with whom Sánchez established a close collaboration, and the new authorities view him favorably.
