327,608 undocumented migrants have arrived in Spain in the last nine years. A figure that shows the crisis that not only the country is experiencing, but all of Europe. Although this is only the tip of the iceberg. The migratory drama, which has rebounded in the last five years, has reached its full potential to the destination countries of the European continent, where, in response, there has been a resurgence of xenophobic discourses. Discourses that leave aside, or even directly blur, the real underlying problem: the tragic situation experienced by foreigners – mostly from the African continent – forced to risk their lives by jumping fences or navigating all kinds of difficulties in the cayucos for days.
Demographic and economic inequalities, authoritarian regimes and the internal crises and conflicts experienced in some North African countries are some of the key factors that have caused a notable increase in foreign arrivals in Spain during 2024. Specifically, an increase of 66% has been recorded in the first six months of the year compared to 2023. That is to say This year, 31,155 migrants – including more than 5,000 minors – arrived in our country without papers.distributed in particular between the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, territories currently overwhelmed by this problem.
It is with such seriousness that the governments of the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, are asking for help for the distribution and The Spanish government is actively seeking solutions to alleviate a crisis that, for the moment, is only getting worse. In fact, the last time Spain recorded figures similar to those of this year 2024 was in 2006, during the “cayuco crisis” in the Canary Islands. when more than 31,000 people arrived.
But: how have migrations changed in Spain? According to the annual reports of the Ministry of the Interior – carried out on the basis of a bi-weekly survey of the number of entries of undocumented migrants by sea and land -, the migratory balance has seen a slight increase in recent years, reaching its peak in 2018, with a total of 64,298 entries irregular migrants throughout Spain. A figure that was, however, about to be beaten in 2023, when, still according to data communicated by the Interior, up to 56,852 unauthorized migratory movements were reported.
As the graph shows, the curve had an upward trend between 2015 and 2018, going from 16,292 entries to 64,298. It should be noted, however, that 2019 marked a turning point with a significant decrease, to 32,513 registered migrant arrivals. Since the pandemic, the number of arrivals has increased exponentially again: 42,097 in 2020, 41,945 in 2021, 31,219 in 2022 and 56,852 in 2023.
While the number of irregular migrant arrivals in Spain has varied in recent years, the way in which they have arrived in the national territory has also varied. In 2018 and 2023, records of entries of undocumented migrants by seawith 57,498 and 55,618 reported, respectively. Although in 2015 maritime entries represented 38% of total arrivalsThis percentage amounts to 97.8% last year.
The full list of undocumented migrant arrivals by sea from 2015 to 2023 is reflected in the following table: 6,190 in 2015, 8,834 in 2016, 21,971 in 2017, 57,498 in 2018, 26,168 in 2019, 40,385 in 2020, 8,930 in 2022 and 55,618 in 2023. Note that the difference of more than 25,000 migrants between 2017 and 2018 is due to the Borders closed in Greece and Italyprovoking migratory flows have been redirectedAbove all, towards the strait road.
Despite the exponential increase in migratory movements by sea, it is not the only one used to reach Spanish territory. The other main route has been and remains land, although it has decreased in the last five years. The record of migrants entering Spain via Ceuta and Melilla went from 5,863 in 2017, 6,800 in 2018 and 6,345 in 2019, to no longer reach a maximum of 2,300 once the COVID-19 health crisis broke out. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 1,712 entries in 2020, 1,845 in 2021, 2,289 in 2022 and 1,234 in 2023.
Regarding the epicentres of the migration crisis, there are three clear scenarios: Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands. Three points that, due to their proximity to African countries, have become the main destinations for migrants. The case of the Canary Islands is the most striking: in nine years, the islands have gone from being reception centres 672 foreigners in an irregular situation to 39,910The reactivation of the Canary Islands route is due to the growing instability in the Sahel, with constant coups, andThe social repercussions of political crisis in Senegal.
As the graph above these lines shows, this is the annual record: 672 in 2015, 875 in 2016, 425 in 2017, 1,307 in 2018, 2,698 in 2019, 23,721 in 2020, 22,316 in 2021, 15,682 in 2022 and 0 in 202. 3 Figures that clearly show that the islands have become, in the last five years, the most recurrent route. In fact, so far in 2024, the number of migrants arriving in the Canary Islands by sea already exceeds 22,000 foreigners And the 340 boatsexceeding the figure for the last nine years except for 2023.
Nationalities change too
The increase in arrivals in the Canary Islands and the decrease in Ceuta and Melilla follow a series of trends related to nationality, routes and, therefore, destination. A reality that is reflected in ‘Annual Report on National Security’” from the Ministry of the Interior. In the 2023 edition, it was highlighted that the migratory mobilization came mainly Morocco, Senegal and Algeriain addition to unidentified sub-Saharans who, according to the study itself, could come from Mali, Guinea or Gambia. As of December 31, 2023, 40,403 irregular migrants had arrived via the Atlantic route, representing an increase of 161% compared to 2022. Among them, 44% without nationality identification17% from Senegal, 14% from Morocco and 6% from Mali.
As for the reasons for displacement, from within, it is highlighted, among other causes, the situation of instability and the deterioration of security in Mali and the Sahel which, according to the ministry, include –especially in the latter case – “a series of factors that contribute to emigration: social instability, political tensions, increased terrorist activity and poor economic conditions.” Added to this is the case of Senegal, where 63% of the population is under 25, where more than 300,000 young people each year enter a labor market that is not prepared for their integration and where the political situation is tense, in view of the next elections scheduled for 2024.”
In 2023, the migratory mobilization came mainly from Morocco, Senegal and Algeria, in addition to unidentified sub-Saharans.
These are, taken together, factors that have ended up increasing the number of displaced people and in neighbouring states, such as Mauritania. And in this massive displacement, the migratory transit route to Algeria has been and continues to be the most used, despite the greater armouring of its southern border. But was the situation different in 2018? Only six years have passed between the two reports and yet they present totally different results. First, while the EU – according to the Interior report – recorded “a reduction in its arrivals compared to 2017”, our country has quantified a total of 64,421 people in 2018131% more than the previous year.
Not only that, but the arrivals were concentrated, unlike in 2022, in the southern areas of the Iberian Peninsula, with a greater presence of migrants in Cádiz with 19,038, Almería with 12,394, Malaga 11,249 and Granada 9,431, with the maximum peak between the months of June and November. Thus, the main countries of origin of migrants and the largest percentage increases in annual arrivals were Morocco (13,041), Republic of Guinea (6,113), Mali (5,782) and Algeria (4,693).
“In particular, the number of immigrants from Mali saw an increase of 872% between 2016 and 2017 and 788% between 2017 and 2018. However, the number of immigrants from Algeria, the fourth country of origin, remained stable with an increase of 8% in 2018 compared to 2017,” the press release states. “Annual National Security Report 2018”.
