Long overshadowed by North African migration routes, Mauritania emerged in 2024 as the main departure point for irregular migrants heading to Spain. This geographical shift, highlighted in Spain’s annual national security report published on 22 May 2025, reflects a profound reconfiguration of migration dynamics in West Africa, driven by instability in the Sahel and new European border control strategies.

According to Spanish data, over 25,000 migrants departed from Mauritania in 2024, exceeding the combined number of departures from Morocco and Algeria. This surge contributed to a record-breaking 61,372 sea arrivals in Spain in 2024, representing a 10.3% increase compared to 2023. Mali was the leading country of origin, with arrivals soaring by 543%, followed by Senegal, Algeria and Morocco respectively.

This shift in migration patterns is partly driven by the worsening crises in the Sahel region, particularly in Mali. As a result, the Atlantic route through Mauritania has become a key escape path for thousands of young people seeking a future in Europe, despite its perilous nature.

An increasingly deadly exile route

The route to the Canary Islands carries a high human cost. In 2024 alone, over 500 migrant bodies were recovered off the coast of Mauritania. Since the beginning of 2025, more than 100 deaths have already been recorded, confirming that the Atlantic Ocean remains, to date, one of the deadliest migratory routes in the world.

This human tragedy is unfolding even as Mauritania intensifies its security efforts. Between January and April 2025, Mauritanian authorities reported intercepting more than 30 000 migrants and dismantling 88 smuggling networks. Migration controls have been significantly reinforced, ranging from roadblocks to police raids in working-class neighbourhoods.

Nouakchott rejects being  Europe’s ‘border guard’

In response to growing criticism from NGOs and international actors, Mauritania is determined to make its voice heard. In an op-ed published in Le Monde, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug emphasised that his country ‘is not Europe’s border guard’ and that its migration policy is primarily driven by national security and sovereignty concerns.”

“Our geographical situation exposes us, but it also confers on us a responsibility: to manage these movements in an orderly and legal manner, with due respect for fundamental rights,” he wrote. While acknowledging that Mauritania hosts “thousands of migrants and refugees” – particularly in the Mbera camp in the east of the country – Ould Merzoug insisted: “Our vocation is not to become an open-air camp.”

Heightened  cooperation with the EU 

Mauritania’s stance comes amid deepening cooperation with the European Union, formalised in an agreement signed in March 2024. The deal includes €210 million in European aid, the construction of detention centres and support for Mauritanian security forces – all aimed at curbing departures from the country.

Initial results are already evident: between January and April 2025, arrivals in Spain dropped by 33.8% compared to the same period in the previous year. However, behind this decline lies a harsher reality – the increasing fortification of borders is pushing would-be migrants to take ever more dangerous and clandestine routes.

Toward a common approach to migration governance?

In his article, Ould Merzoug advocates for shared responsibility in addressing migration challenges. He calls for a partnership with Europe ‘based on trust, dialogue and solidarity,’ focused not on the fear of arrivals but on sustainable solutions: youth employment, local development and investment in departure zones.

The Mauritanian minister also urged West African States to harmonise their migration policies as well as coordinate their security efforts. “No country can meet these challenges alone,” he asserted, underscoring the need for a regional approach to migration governance.

Changing the way migration is viewed

“Migration should be seen not only as a problem to be contained, but also as a means of promoting development, professional mobility and regional integration,” concludes the head of Mauritanian diplomacy. It is an ambitious vision – yet one that remains far removed from the current reality on the ground, where border controls, expulsions and tragedies at sea continue to shape the daily lives of migrants.

As Europe continues to outsource more and more of its migration policy, Mauritania finds itself at the heart of a complex equation – balancing security cooperation with humanitarian obligations. The question remains whether this dual role as both a barrier and a refuge can be sustained without compromising the fundamental rights of migrants.