Migration crisis Bound

Up to 1,000 migrants may have vanished in the Central Mediterranean during Cyclone Harry, far more than the 380 people officially listed as missing by maritime authorities, according to humanitarian groups working on the Tunisia–Libya route. The Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans says testimonies from coastal communities around Sfax and from migrants’ families suggest dozens of boats sailed into the storm and never returned, turning what was reported as a series of shipwrecks into what advocates describe as a “hidden catastrophe” at sea.

Mauritanian authorities rescued 156 migrants drifting for ten days off Nouadhibou, while Guinea confirmed seven deaths after a separate pirogue carrying young migrants capsized off the Mauritanian coast. The two incidents highlight sustained pressure along the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands.

Political debate in Spain is increasing over the country’s funding of migrant centers in Mauritania, as critics claim these sites lack adequate legal safeguards and human rights protections.

Since early 2024, the Mauritanian government has intensified its enforcement operations against undocumented sub-Saharan migrants in Nouakchott, Nouadhibou, and other urban centers. This campaign, which includes increased checkpoints and arrests, is a direct consequence of a bilateral agreement between Mauritania and its European partners, notably Spain.