Donald Trump suggested that Spain could limit the flow of African migrants entering its country illegally by building a wall across the Sahara desert, the country’s foreign minister has revealed.  

Josep Borrell discussed the US president’s comment, which mirrors his prominent campaign promise to erect a “big, beautiful wall” along America’s border with Mexico, during an event in Madrid this week. 

Mr Trump is thought to have made the remark to Mr Borrell when he visited the White House alongside Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia in June. 

This year Spain has overtaken Italy and Greece to become the number one point of entry for migrants coming to Europe by sea from Africa. 

Mr Borrell reportedly told a lunch gathering this week: "Closing ports is not a solution, and neither is building a wall along the Sahara like President Trump suggested to me recently.”

Spain holds just two small overseas territories in north Africa – Ceuta and Melilla – meaning that such a wall would have to be built on foreign territory. 

In total the desert stretches over parts of 11 different countries: Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia. 

A Spanish foreign ministry spokesman confirmed to the Guardian that Mr Borrell’s remarks, widely reported in the Spanish media, had been made but declined to comment further. 

It recently emerged that he suggested to Theresa May, the Prime Minister, that she should sue the European Union in order to get the best Brexit deal. 

His own border wall with Mexico, which could cost up to $20 billion (17 billion euros), has struggled to live up to its billing on the campaign trail since he took office in January 2017.

Spending agreements passed by the US Congress have failed to provide the full funds he has demanded – a point of criticism Mr Trump continues to voice in the run-up to the November midterm elections. 

Mr Trump has accepted that in some parts of the border, such as vast stretches of rugged mountains, a physical construction may not be needed. 

There is also little indication that Mexico will directly fund the project despite Mr Trump’s insistence during campaign rallies for his successful 2016 presidential bid. 

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