Connect with us

Tourism

Spain Approves Historic Plan to Grant Legal Status to Up to 500,000 Undocumented Migrants

Published

on

Spain’s left-wing government has approved a landmark royal decree to fast-track legal residency for an estimated 500,000 undocumented migrants.

This marks one of the largest regularization programs in Europe in nearly two decades and standing in stark contrast to the stricter migration policies sweeping much of the continent and beyond.

Announced on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, by Migration Minister Elma Saiz, the measure targets foreign nationals—primarily from Latin America and Africa—who can prove they were living in Spain for at least five months as of December 31, 2025, and have no criminal record. Applications are expected to open in April and remain open until June 30, 2026. Successful applicants will receive a one-year renewable residency and work permit, allowing them to work in any sector and anywhere in the country. Children may qualify for five-year permits, with pathways to longer-term status.

“Today is a historic day,” Saiz declared at a press conference, describing the policy as a reinforcement of a migration model rooted in human rights, integration, economic growth, and social cohesion.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has long championed migration’s role in Spain’s economy, noting it drove about 80% of growth over the past six years and contributed roughly 10% of social security revenues.

With Spain’s unemployment rate dipping below 10% in late 2025 and foreigners accounting for most new hires in the final quarter, the government frames the plan as essential for sustaining an aging workforce and booming sectors like agriculture, tourism, and construction.

The decree, published in the official gazette, bypasses parliament—where the Socialist-led coalition lacks a stable majority—and was supported by the far-left Podemos party, which hailed it as a moral counter to rising anti-migrant rhetoric. Migrant advocacy groups and the Catholic Church have welcomed the initiative as an act of social justice and dignity for those already contributing to Spanish society.

Migration Minister Elma Saiz said the government was dignifiying and recognizing people already in SpainImage: Alejandro Martínez Vélez/Europa Press/IMAGO

Spain’s population stands at approximately 49.4 million, including 7.1 million foreign nationals, with an estimated 840,000 living irregularly at the start of 2025. The last major regularization occurred in 2005 under a previous Socialist government led by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

The move has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. Center-right Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo accused the government of using the policy to distract from a recent rail disaster in southern Spain that claimed 45 lives on January 18, branding Sánchez’s migration approach “reckless.” Far-right Vox party announced it would challenge the decree in Spain’s Supreme Court, seeking to suspend implementation and criticizing the bypass of parliament as unacceptable.

The regularization bucks a broader European trend toward tougher controls, with countries like Denmark, Germany, and Austria tightening rules amid political pressures. Globally, it contrasts with restrictive policies in the United States under President Donald Trump.

From Ghana’s vantage point—as a key origin country for African migrants seeking opportunities in Europe—this development offers hope for many in the diaspora while highlighting ongoing debates about balanced migration policies that recognize economic contributions alongside security and integration concerns.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Taste GH

Kuli Kuli: The Crunchy Peanut Snack That Travels Across Ghana’s Streets With Ease

Published

on

By

There’s a particular sound that follows Kuli Kuli down Ghana’s streets—the sharp, satisfying crunch that announces its presence long before the first bite.

Made from roasted groundnuts pressed into golden sticks or small clusters, this humble snack has earned a permanent place in everyday eating across the country.

Kuli Kuli carries the deep, nutty aroma of roasted peanuts, often enriched with a subtle kick of spice depending on who prepares it. Its texture is firm and crisp, breaking cleanly between the teeth and leaving behind a rich, earthy flavour that lingers. While simple in ingredients, it delivers a depth that makes it hard to eat just one piece.

Across Ghana, Kuli Kuli is more than a snack—it’s part of the rhythm of daily life. It shows up in woven baskets at lorry stations, in transparent bowls on street corners, and in the hands of schoolchildren heading home.

Traders often pair it with roasted groundnuts or sell it alongside other street favourites, making it an easy grab for commuters, workers, and travellers.

For many, it is a quiet companion during long journeys or busy afternoons. It is filling enough to take the edge off hunger, yet light enough to eat on the move. Visitors to Ghana often discover it unexpectedly, handed over in paper wraps or sold from roadside stalls where it sits alongside familiar street foods.

Beyond its taste and convenience, Kuli Kuli also carries a health appeal rooted in its primary ingredient—groundnuts. Rich in protein and healthy fats, it has long been considered a wholesome snack in many households, especially in communities where peanuts are a dietary staple.

Simple, durable, and deeply familiar, Kuli Kuli remains one of those foods that tells a story of resourcefulness and everyday Ghanaian life—one crunchy bite at a time.

Continue Reading

Sights and Sounds

Echoes of the Atlantic: A Walk Through the Living History of Jamestown

Published

on

By

The salt-heavy breeze of the Gulf of Guinea tangles with the scent of woodsmoke and freshly grilled tilapia as you step into the labyrinthine alleys of Jamestown.

Above, the scarlet and white stripes of the iconic 1930s lighthouse pierce a hazy blue sky, standing as a silent sentry over a neighborhood that refused to be forgotten. To walk these streets is to feel the heartbeat of Accra—raw, rhythmic, and fiercely soulful.

Here, the past doesn’t sit behind glass; it lives in the peeling paint of colonial storefronts and the vibrant mural-lined walls that serve as the community’s open-air canvas.

The geography of Jamestown is a visual timeline of Ghana’s evolution. At the edge of the Atlantic, the Ga Mashie community thrives around the bustling fishing harbor.

From the vantage point of the old harbor walls, you can watch hundreds of hand-painted wooden pirogues, draped in colorful flags, bobbing on the surf as fishermen haul in the morning’s catch. Just a stone’s throw away, the somber, whitewashed walls of Ussher Fort and James Fort provide a stark architectural contrast.

These structures, remnants of Dutch and British colonial presence, offer a heavy but necessary reflection on the transatlantic slave trade, their dungeons echoing with centuries of history that shaped the modern world.

A walking tour here is an exercise in sensory immersion. One moment, you are navigating the narrow “Brazil House” lane, learning about the Tabom people—formerly enslaved Afro-Brazilians who returned to their ancestral home—and the next, you are surrounded by the chaotic energy of a street-side boxing gym.

Jamestown is the undisputed pugilist capital of West Africa; the rhythmic thud of gloves against heavy bags is as much a part of the local soundtrack as the highlife music drifting from corner bars.

Visitors shouldn’t miss the chance to climb the lighthouse for a panoramic view that captures the duality of the city: the old colonial footprint dissolving into the rising glass skyscrapers of the modern business district.

Jamestown demands that you slow down and engage. It is a place where a simple “Agooo” (the local way of asking for passage or attention) opens doors to hidden courtyard cafes and artisan workshops.

By the time the sun begins to dip, painting the harbor in hues of molten gold and violet, you realize that Jamestown isn’t just a destination on a map; it is a masterclass in resilience and the enduring power of community.

Continue Reading

Taste GH

Golden, Airy, Irresistible: The Simple Magic of Bofrot

No elaborate fillings. No icing. Just nutmeg, a whisper of sugar, and decades of street-side perfection.

Published

on

By

There’s a moment just before dawn in Accra when the air changes—still thick with harmattan dust but suddenly split by the sweet, yeasty whisper of bofrot hitting hot oil. That scent is an alarm clock no one resists.

For the uninitiated: bofrot is Ghana’s golden-fried dough ball, airy as a cloud, crisp on the outside, and tender within. No elaborate fillings. No icing. Just nutmeg, a whisper of sugar, and decades of street-side perfection.

Vendors pile them high in woven baskets near lorry parks, school gates, and market corners. A small bag costs pocket change, yet it fuels everyone from office workers to toddlers tugging at their mothers’ skirts.

Unlike heavier doughnuts, bofrot is surprisingly light—no greasy linger. It’s vegan by tradition, making it an accidental ally for plant-based travelers.

You’ll see Ghanaians tearing pieces to dip into koko (spiced millet porridge) at breakfast or eating them plain as a 4 p.m. pick-me-up. At weddings and outdoorings (naming ceremonies), bofrot arrives in pyramids, a quiet symbol of hospitality and joy.

@akosuahstastyrecipe NO FAIL GHANAIAN BOFROT🇬🇭 ✅INGREDIENTS 3 cups hard flour 1 cup sugar 1 pack instant yeast 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 and half cup lukewarm water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Oil for frying ✅NOTE Please make sure the water you will use for the yeast is lukewarm not hot #ghanatiktok🇬🇭 #fyp #foodblogger #viral_video #accra #foodies #homemade #bofrot #puff #puffpuff #doughnut @Flottycastiron_and_kitchen ♬ Big Baller – Flavour

Visitors often ask, “Is it just puff puff?” Close, but not quite. Bofrot has a tighter crumb, a deeper caramel blush, and a distinct Ghanaian soul.

Try one from a Mamprobi street cart, steam still rising. You’ll understand why no recipe book can replicate the rhythm of the woman who’s flipped a million of them—her wrist flicking dough into oil like she’s telling time. That’s the real secret.

Continue Reading

Trending