Spain’s premier holding talks with West African leaders on irregular migration

LAGOS, Nigeria

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is holding talks with some West African leaders in a three-day visit to the region in a bid to address irregular migration.

Sanchez, who visited Gambia’s capital Banjul on Wednesday on day two of his trip, said his country was focusing on a new relationship with Africa to tackle irregular migration from West Africa.

"Spain, my country, wants to give a new impetus to our relationship with Africa," he said after meeting with Gambian President Adama Barrow.

On Tuesday, Sanchez visited Mauritania, where bilateral agreements on peace and security, trade and tourism were signed by officials of the two countries on behalf of the governments. Similar agreements were signed in Gambia.

Barrow thanked Sanchez for the visit. He said the visit and agreements between the two countries will help foster peace and address irregular migration in the region.

Mauritania, Gambia and Senegal, the three nations being visited by the Spanish leader, have been departure points for thousands of irregular migrants from Africa to the Canary Islands in Spain.

Sanchez ends his three-day tour in Senegal on Thursday.