Mauritania is a strategic partner for the EU, in particular for migration management. In this regard, Frontex recorded more than 40.000 irregular border crossings on the West Africa to the Canary Islands route in 2023. In January 2024, the region accounted for nearly half of all detections of irregular border crossings. In this context, Vice-President Margaritis Schinas traveled to strengthen the partnership between Mauritania and the European Union in October 2023 and President Ursula von der Leyen visited the country in February 2024 and announced mobilisation of EUR 210 million for Mauritania.

In a press release published today, the EU Commission announced that the EU is strengthening its cooperation with Mauritania. Both parties signed a Joint Declaration launching an EU-Mauritania migration partnership that is based on five pillars:

• Creating job opportunities: reinforcing access to vocational training, access to financing for enterprises, and improving skills and competencies for young Mauritanians, particularly women.
   
• Strengthen capacities for receiving and processing asylum seekers and refugees, with respect for human rights and paying particular attention to the most vulnerable.
   
• Promoting legal migration: by encouraging mobility, including of students, researchers and entrepreneurs; by further exploring possibilities to enhance circular mobility, access to the EU job market for Mauritanians living in Europe, as well as supporting their integration.
   
• Reinforcing cooperation to prevent irregular migration: by stepping up efforts to fight against migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, protecting victims; by strengthening cooperation on return and readmission concerning Mauritanians irregularly staying in the EU.
   
• Strengthening border management: increasing cooperation on search and rescue operations and strengthening the capacities of border management authorities, also with reinforced cooperation with Frontex – particularly through training and equipment.

For further information, please read the press release from the European Commission and the Joint Declaration.