EU chief, Spain’s PM promise to help Mauritania in migration control

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and Spain's Pedro Sanchez met President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in capital Nouakchott for talks focused on border controls and economic development

By Reuters
February 09, 2024
Spains PM Pedro Sanchez (L) leaves a plenary session after a vote on the governments controversial amnesty bill, at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid on January 30, 2024. — AFP
Spain's PM Pedro Sanchez (L) leaves a plenary session after a vote on the government's controversial amnesty bill, at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid on January 30, 2024. — AFP

MADRID: The head of the European Commission and Spain’s prime minister visited Mauritania on Thursday and promised more funding for the West African country to curb irregular migration to Europe amid a jump in departures.

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and Spain’s Pedro Sanchez met President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in the capital Nouakchott for talks focused on border controls and economic development.

“To help Mauritania face challenges in the areas of migration management, forced displacement, as well as security and development, the EU intends to strengthen its financial support,” they said in a statement, adding that the EU’s Frontex border agency would play a role, without elaborating.Sanchez also announced up to 200 million euros ($215 million) of financial support from Spain in the next five years to facilitate the development of green hydrogen projects with the participation of Spanish companies.