Mauritanian nationals will soon not be allowed to transit through Spanish airports without a transit visa, as the Spanish government has decided to introduce new rules regarding nationals of some African countries.
Starting August 28, 2024, people with a Mauritania passport will have to obtain an airport transit visa to pass through the international zones of Spanish airports, Schengen.News reports.
The reason for this new measure comes as an attempt by the Spanish government to correct the increase in irregular migratory flows. Mauritanian citizens with a residence visa or any other type of Schengen visa or residence permit obtained in the Schengen Area are excluded from the new requirements.
Spain Introduces Transit Visas for Several African Nations
On August 16, the Spanish government announced a new transit visa requirement for nationals of several African countries, with the Central African Republic being the most recent.
In an effort to prevent and address irregular migration from Africa, Spain imposed the transit visa condition on passport holders of the following countries:
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Nigeria
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Somalia
The measure is reversible and can be revisited by the government if there is progress in managing the irregular migration.
However, immigration organisations in Spain have objected to the new measures and do not view the changes as positive.
Every time the number of asylum applications from a specific nationality increases due to conflicts or emergencies in their countries, Spain responds with more restrictions.
EU External Borders Witness a 40% Decrease in Irregular Border Crossings in 2024
According to the Frontex, the EU Guard Agency, irregular migration at the external borders of the EU, including Spanish borders, decreased by 40 per cent in the last seven months of 2024.
Thanks to several measures that the EU has adopted against irregular migration, fewer border crossings have been recorded in 2024. The Eastern Land Border and Western African Route are the only two that experienced the most active immigration.
This year’s decrease can be attributed mainly to preventive measures by the Tunisian and Libyan authorities to disrupt the activities of smugglers. Arrivals from those two countries account for 95 per cent of all migrants reported on the Central Mediterranean route.
The number of border crossings recorded in the Eastern Land Border was up by 195 per cent, to a total of 9,546, while the Western African route witnessed an increase of 154 per cent. The total number of detections in this route reached 21,620. The Central Mediterranean route remains the most active, with 32,239 irregular crossings being recorded in seven months.
