Commissioner Johansson in Mauritania to strengthen migration management cooperation

Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson is in Mauritania today with the Spanish Minister of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez, to further develop migration management with this important partner country. Mauritania both hosts a large refugee and migrant population and is a country of transit for people hoping to reach the Canary islands. The Commissioner and the Minister will meet with the President of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Prime Minister Mohamed Ould Bilal and the Minister for Interior and Decentralisation Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, to discuss practical cooperation as well as operational and financial support from the EU. The visit is part of renewed efforts to strengthen EU partnerships with countries of origin and transit to prevent dangerous journeys and counter smuggling, particularly in North Africa. This visit follows on from the July Conference of Ministers of the Interior of EU Member States and African Partners on countering migrant smuggling and Commissioners Johansson and Várhelyi’s visit to Tunisia in August jointly with Italian ministers.