Pope Francis visited the Canary Islands on Thursday, June 13, 2024, to show empathy for migrants and call for a comprehensive response to migration [1, 2].
The visit highlights the humanitarian challenges facing the Spanish archipelago, which serves as a primary entry point for people fleeing instability in Africa. By centering the plight of those arriving by sea, the Pope aims to push European leaders toward more compassionate and systemic policy changes.
The pontiff's trip to the region followed the start of his broader visit to Spain on Monday, June 8, 2024 [1]. During his time in the Canary Islands, he focused on the dangers faced by individuals crossing the ocean from countries including Senegal and Gambia [2].
Data indicates the scale of the crisis is intensifying. The number of migrants who arrived in the Canary Islands reached a peak of 47,000 people in 2024 [1]. This follows a long-term trend in which tens of thousands of migrants have been received by the islands over the years [1].
Throughout the visit, the Pope said that the migration crisis requires a global effort rather than isolated national responses. He described the journey of these migrants as one of extreme risk, often involving precarious boat trips across the Atlantic, and urged the international community to prioritize human dignity over border security [2].
The symbolic nature of the visit is intended to remind the world that migrants are not mere statistics but human beings in need of support and legal pathways to safety [1, 2].
“The number of migrants who arrived in the Canary Islands reached a peak of 47,000 people in 2024.”
The Pope's visit leverages the moral authority of the Vatican to pressure the European Union and Spain to shift from a security-first approach to a humanitarian-first approach. By visiting the Canary Islands—a flashpoint for migration—the papacy is signaling that the current Mediterranean and Atlantic migration routes are a failure of international cooperation and human rights protections.
