Madar (Nouakchott) - Mauritania has intercepted 37 boats bound for the Canary Islands since the start of the year, preventing more than 4,300 people from continuing their journey to Spain "in very risky conditions," Spain's interior ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, according to Spanish media.
The figures were released during Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska's visit to Nouakchott, where he thanked President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani for "joint efforts" on border control and the fight against trafficking networks. The intercepted boats included one carrying 204 migrants, 28 of them minors, the ministry said.
Grande-Marlaska praised the work of the Mauritanian coast guard in a meeting with Fisheries and Maritime and Port Infrastructure Minister Aissata Lam, saying cooperation between Mauritania and the Canaries "is saving lives and hitting criminal networks." He also thanked his Mauritanian counterpart for his contribution to protecting the most vulnerable.
The Spanish minister welcomed the integration of a Mauritanian liaison officer at the Canary Islands Regional Coordination Centre and the work of the joint police investigation team deployed in Nouadhibou, and asked for the same model to be replicated in Nouakchott. He also stressed the need to step up returns, saying their deterrent effect makes them a key prevention tool.
Spain currently has 40 National Police and Guardia Civil officers in Mauritania, equipped with two boats, a helicopter and 14 off-road vehicles, along with periodic deployments of aircraft and ocean-going vessels used mostly for joint patrols, the ministry said.
