Nouadhibou is Mauritania’s second-largest city and a key Atlantic port, now in the news after a deadly migrant crossing; the city’s role as a trade and transit center shapes its current challenges.
UNHCR reports that 387 migrants were rescued from three Mauritania-disembarkations between July 14–18, with 143 dead or missing. A vessel carrying 160 from The Gambia ran out of fuel, drifting 25 days to Nouadhibou, where 38 survived and two children lost their families. Arrivals to the Canary Islands have fallen this year, while deaths at sea remain high.