Mauritania

There are no direct flights from Pakistan to Mauritania, so some of the migrants transited through Ethiopia or the Middle East.

The migration route, which spans from the Atlantic coasts of Mauritania and Morocco to Spain, is regarded as one of the most dangerous in the world.

Earlier this year, a $227m deal was made between the EU and Mauritania to bolster border security.

As record numbers of young Africans risk their lives trying to reach the Canary Islands, Spain’s prime minister begins crisis talks with Senegal, Mauritania and The Gambia to tackle migration.

In 2021, dozens of countries — including China, India, Russia and much smaller countries such as Mauritania — began exporting large numbers of migrants.