ARCHIVED - Spain and Algeria commit to working against illegal immigration

The Foreign Affairs ministers from both countries sat down together on Monday to discuss the problem and agreed to collaborate to seek solutions.

Spain and Algeria have agreed to work together to open orderly, regular channels for businesspeople, students and workers to migrate to Spain in a legal manner, seeking to curb the arrival of irregular immigrants, particularly from the Sahel region of Africa.

This last week hundreds of illegal immigrants, mainly from Algeria, arrived in small boats along the Spanish coastline in Andalucia, Murcia and Alicante province, one of which sunk off the coastal town of Mazarrón in Murcia on Saturday evening, killing eleven people.

During the first visit to Spain since his appointment, the Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Sabri Boukadoum, sat down with his Spanish counterpart Aracha Gonzalez Laya on Monday to discuss the matter and plan ways help African citizens migrate legally rather than risking their lives in attempts to enter Spain illegally.

Both ministers entirely agree that the two countries must work together to fight the criminal immigration networks that profit from the transport of illegal migrants.

They agreed to hold a meeting in Spain during the second half of this year for further discussions about the measures which could be taken.

Following the meeting, the Spanish minister reported that Algeria is a “strategic partner” and that both countries are working in close collaboration on sensitive issues such as migration and the fight against terrorism. She also highlighted Algeria’s efforts to maintain stability and peace in the Sahel region, especially in Mali.

"We’re working together to improve the socio-economic conditions and stability of these countries in order to prevent an increase in illegal immigration flows through Algeria to our country," said the Spanish minister.

Mr Boukadoum expressed a desire to deepen economic relations between the two countries and pointed out that Algeria has always honoured its commitments with Spain where migration issues are concerned and intends to continue to do so. He stressed the importance of facilitating legal, regular migration channels between the two countries to reduce the numbers of migrants trying to enter the country illegally in search of a better life.

Image: Fernando Calvo. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez meeting with Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Sabri Boukadoum