Commissioner Johansson in Gran Canaria for migration management

Tomorrow, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, will travel to Gran Canaria with the Spanish Minister of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, for a number of essential and urgent meetings with national, regional and local authorities on migration management cooperation. In the morning, the Commissioner and Minister will visit the regional coordination centre of the Guardia Civil with police officers seconded from partners in Africa and the immigration pre-removal centre of Las Palmas. A press conference will take place at 13:00 CET, which you can follow on EbS. In the afternoon, they will visit reception facilities at the port of Arguineguín where they will meet with the Chief Commissioner of the Policía Nacional as well as the Regional President of the Red Cross. The Canary Islands have experienced a very substantial increase in the number of irregular arrivals in recent months. The Commission is closely monitoring the situation in Spain and stands ready to provide further support if necessary. This visit will also be an opportunity to exchange views on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and follows the Commissioner’s and Minister’s visit to Mauritania in September this year.