Canary Islands leader pushes for Frontex in Africa

Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo wants the European Union’s border agency, Frontex, deployed in African countries where migrants begin their journeys. He plans to put that demand to EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner in a video call on Wednesday, alongside a call for direct EU help with migration on the islands. Clavijo announced the talks on Tuesday, 10 November, after a meeting of the Interministerial Commission on Immigration in Madrid, Spain.

Clavijo says the video call will let him press for Frontex’s deployment and stronger cooperation programmes in countries of origin without delay. Last week, he discussed the matter with European Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto on the island of Guadeloupe, where leaders of the EU’s outermost regions were meeting.

He also wants the Canary Islands to take an active, permanent role in EU emergency response arrangements. He is seeking fixed EU funding and continuing resources to help the islands handle surges in demand for assistance at Europe’s southern border.

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com