For three and a half months, the Spanish Embassy in Mauritania has been without a visa officer.
It means that during the migration crisis of this past summer, the position remained unfilled, Schengen.News reports.
The position is significantly important in terms of managing immigration arrival in Spain.
According to a report from El Independiente, the position has not been filled by the Ministry since June 19.
A visa officer is responsible for verifying and checking the documentation of all those who request a temporary permit in order to reach Spain. In addition, a visa officer is also responsible for identifying whether a person’s papers are official and correspond to the respective person.
The position is also essential in terms of security in case a terrorist wants to reach the peninsula.
In Mauritania, Spain grants nearly 20,000 visas each year.
Mauritania Dealing With Increased Number of Migrants
According to a report from El Independiente, Spain’s Mauritania is subject to a large number of irregular migrants. The same notes that people from several parts of Africa arrive in the country in order to then travel to other European countries.
In this regard, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, previously offered to promote circular migration with a total of 250,000 jobs for Mauritians who, once trained in Spain, would return to their home countries.
A previous report from Deutsche Welle in June this year revealed that thousands of Africans continue to attempt to reach Europe either through the Sahara desert or by sea, thus being subject to inhuman conditions.
83% Increase in Irregular Migration in Spain Last Year
Each year, Spain received an increased number of migrants as well. Based on the figures from the Ministry of the Interior, in 2023, a total of 56,852 migrants reached Spain.
According to the figures provided by the Ministry, the most significant increase was noted in the Canary Islands, accounting for a new record in the number of migrants who reached its shores through the Atlantic route.
The Ministry revealed that last year, a total of 39,910 people were recorded arriving in this territory, up by 154 per cent compared to 2022 statistics.
Last year, Spain was the second country in the European Union with the largest number of irregular migrants registered.
According to a report from Walking Borders, in 2022, a total of 2,390 people lost their lives attempting to reach Spain.