The number of migrants from four major West African countries reaching Europe fell by 59 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, but deadly migration routes and persistent pressures at home continue to put lives at risk, the International Organisation for Migration has said.
In a statement on Tuesday, the UN migration agency said the factors driving migration persisted despite the decline in arrivals, while dangerous journeys continued across multiple routes.
IOM director-general Amy Pope said fewer arrivals at a particular destination did not necessarily mean migration pressures had eased, noting that migrants often shifted to alternative routes.
“Fewer arrivals in one place doesn’t mean the pressures have gone away,” said Ms Pope. “They often just shift to other routes. That’s why we need to look at the whole journey, from where people leave to where they arrive.”
According to the statement, 4,566 migrants from Mali, Senegal, Guinea and The Gambia were registered arriving in Europe by sea between January and June 2026.
The West African Atlantic Route remained the principal route, with West African nationals accounting for 83 per cent of arrivals registered along the route during the period.
The statement also reported an increase in the proportion of West African migrants using Mediterranean routes.
Their share of arrivals along the Western Mediterranean Route rose to 21.9 per cent from 15.6 per cent in the first half of 2025, while their share along the Central Mediterranean Route increased to 10.5 per cent from 8.6 per cent.
The agency said the figures indicated a changing migration landscape, underscoring the need to monitor developments across different routes despite the overall decline in arrivals.
It added that departure and interception data showed that people continued to attempt the journeys, highlighting the persistence of factors driving irregular migration.
According to the IOM, sustained action is needed to reduce risks, expand opportunities and make migration safer.
Data from the West African Atlantic Route showed that arrivals in the Canary Islands fell by 62 per cent between 2024 and 2025, following a peak in 2024.
However, recorded deaths and disappearances declined by only four per cent, from 1,215 in 2024 to 1,172 in 2025, highlighting the continuing dangers along the route despite the reduction in arrivals.
The geography of departures is also changing, the agency said, as increased controls in traditional departure areas in Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal have contributed to a southward shift towards The Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Ms Pope called for greater international cooperation to address the challenges associated with irregular migration.
“No single country can solve this alone.“We need to protect migrants wherever they are, create real opportunities for young people and work together across borders. When we do, lives are saved,” she added.
