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The president of the Canary Islands announced that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had agreed to convene an emergency meeting of the Interministerial Immigration Commission on Tuesday to address the growing pressure facing the island of El Hierro following a recent increase in migrant arrivals.
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Fernando Clavijo said he had informed the Prime Minister of the seriousness of the situation on the island and the growing discontent among residents.
The Council of the Island of El Hierro declared a state of social emergency following the arrival of more than 8,000 migrants in the last five weeks.
Between November 1 and 6, 49 boats carrying a total of 4,587 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands, according to the regional government.
Of them, 35 reached El Hierro, where authorities say the pressure on local resources is “extraordinary”.
Clavijo said the Canary Islands had for months been calling for additional resources, better planning and a coordinated government response to deal with the situation.
“This meeting must serve to agree, between the two governments and the ministries concerned, on a common action plan, with specific and responsible measures and deadlines for implementation,” Clavijo wrote in a message on social networks. “We cannot continue to act only when the situation gets worse.”
He said he had also requested “urgent meetings” with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner.
“The Canary Islands cannot continue to face, practically alone, a situation that requires the involvement of the Spanish government and Europe,” Clavijo added.
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