Irregular Migration Routes to Europe

This document presents the resumption of migration from the coasts of West Africa to the Canary Islands (Spain). This route, already active in 2006, saw an increasing number of movements in 2023. The risks, deaths and disappearances following shipwrecks are also on the rise along the Atlantic coasts.

Between January and June 2023, 7,213 people reached the Canary Islands irregularly after crossing by boat from the coasts of West Africa, a decrease of 18 per cent compared to 2022 (8,853).

This document is a compilation of data collected by IOM from FRONTEX as well as the Italian, Spanish, Greek and Maltese interior ministries on migratory movements from Africa to Europe between 2017 and March 2023. IOM works closely with a wide range of actors, including government and non-government partners, to collect and compile this data on a quarterly basis.

This document presents the situation of migrant arrivals in Europe based on data for 2021 from the point of view of movements from West and Central Africa (WCA).

This document presents key figures relating to maritime migration from the coasts of West Africa to Mauritania, Morocco and the Canary Islands (Spain). This route, already active in 2006, has seen exponential growth in movements since its 'reactivation' in 2019. The risks, deaths and disappearances following shipwrecks are also on the rise along the West African Atlantic Route (WAAR).

Between January and September 2022, 12,506 individuals reached the Canary Islands irregularly after crossing by boat from the coasts of West Africa, a decrease of 5 per cent i.e. 612 people per compared to 2021 (13,118)(3). This is the first time since the increase in crossings was first recorded in 2019 that this number has shrunk. Nevertheless, the risks and hazards along the West African Atlantic Route remain, and 32 shipwrecks were recorded along that route in 2022, leading to the death or disappearance of 350 migrants.

This document presents the resumption of migration from the coasts of West Africa to the Canary Islands (Spain). This route, already active in 2006 saw an increasing number of movements in 2022 The risks, deaths and disappearances following shipwrecks are also on the rise along the Atlantic coasts. Between January and June 2022 8,741 individuals reached the Canary Islands irregularly after crossing by boat from the coasts of West Africa, an increase an increase of 26 per cent i.e. 1,789 people per compared to 2021 (6,952).

This document is a compilation of data collected by IOM from Frontex as well as the Italian, Spanish, Greek and Maltese interior ministries on migratory movements from Africa to Europe between 2017 and 2022. IOM works closely with a wide range of actors, including government and non government partners, to collect and compile this data on a quarterly basis This document presents the situation of migrant arrivals in Europe based on data for 2021 from the point of view of movements from West and Central Africa.

This document is a compilation of data collected by IOM from the Italian, Spanish, Greek and Maltese interior ministries on migratory movements from to Europe between 2017 and 2021. It also contains data from IOM's Missing Migrants Project, collects and consolidates information on migrants who have died or gone missing during their migratory journeys, for the year 2021.

Irregular migration is a complex, dynamic and fragmented phenomenon, and remains difficult to fully picture. Strengthening the understanding of migration routes, trends as well as migrant profiles is critical in order to protect migrants and support evidence-based policies. The International Organization for Migration's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) and Missing Migrants Project (MMP) collect data on the departures, arrivals, deaths and disappearances of migrants along migratory routes.

This document presents the resumption of migration from the coasts of West Africa to the Canary Islands (Spain). This route, already active in 2006, saw an increasing number of movements in 2021. The risks, deaths and disappearances following shipwrecks are also on the rise along the Atlantic coasts.

Between January and December 2021, 22,316 individuals reached the Canary Islands irregularly by boat, after crossing from West African Coasts, representing a slight decrease of 707 people compared to 2020 (23,023)

Afin de mieux comprendre les mouvements et tendances migratoires en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre, l’OIM, à travers la Matrice de suivi des déplacements (Displacement Tracking Matrix, DTM), met en œuvre l’activité de Suivi des flux de populations (Flow Monitoring, FM). Le suivi des flux de populations récolte ainsi des données sur les flux et tendances migratoires, les profils des voyageurs et les parcours et intentions des migrants, afin de fournir une meilleure compréhension des mobilités en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre. Au Mali, la DTM recueille des données au niveau de 7 Points de suivi des flux (Flow Monitoring Points, FMP), repartis dans 6 régions afin d’obtenir une meilleure compréhension de l’ampleur, des tendances, des caractéristiques socio-démographiques et des parcours des flux de voyageurs traversant ces différents points. Ce rapport présente les données recueillies dans le cadre des activités d’enregistrement des flux durant le mois de septembre 2021.

Afin de mieux comprendre les tendances des mouvements transhumants et l’impact des fragilités sur les communautés transhumantes, l’OIM, au travers de sa Matrice de suivi des déplacements (DTM), a déployé depuis juin 2019 l’outil de suivi de la transhumance (Transhumance Tracking Tool – TTT) avec le Réseau Bilital Maroobe (RBM) et ses antennes d’organisations d’éleveurs pour faire le suivi des mouvements de transhumants au Burkina Faso. Le TTT permet de comprendre les dynamiques liées à la transhumance transfrontalière entre le Burkina Faso, le Niger et le Mali. Il combine trois composantes : la cartographie, le comptage et l’alerte. Le système d’alerte a pour objectif de recenser les évènements liés à l’utilisation des ressources naturelles et aux pratiques agro-pastorales dans la région transfrontalière des pays du Liptako-Gourma, de comprendre les modes de résolution de conflits existants et d’informer les autorités compétentes afin de réduire les tensions dans les communes d’intervention. Ce système permet de recenser les alertes liées à un évènement conflictuel (alerte évènement) ou à un mouvement massif ou inattendu de bétail (alerte prévention) qui pourrait provoquer un conflit. Ce rapport présente les données de l’outil d’alerte pour le mois de juillet 2021

This document is a compilation of data collected by IOM from the Italian, Spanish, Greek and Maltese interior ministries on migratory movements from to Europe between 2017 and 2021. It also contains data from IOM's Missing Migrants Project, collects and consolidates information on migrants who have died or gone missing during their migratory journeys, for the year 2021.