After a brief lull, illegal immigration to the Canary Islands would have resumed with a vengeance. More and more young Moroccans are once again taking this route to reach Spain.
European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas stated that the migration crisis in Ceuta is "an attack by Morocco against the external border of the European Union. An organized, premeditated and hybrid attack" whose consequences go beyond the bilateral framework of relations with Spain, which required a strong reaction from Europe.
The Governing Council of the autonomous city of Ceuta announced on Friday that it will hire eight interpreters fluent in Darija for a period of four months in order to facilitate exchanges during individual interviews with minors with a view to their return to Morocco. A budget of around 100,000 euros will be devoted to this mission.
Oussama El Hammoumi, 21, has been missing since he decided, on Monday, with two friends of the same age, to reach Ceuta by swimming from Fnideq.
The president of the Canary Islands Popular Party (PP), Australia Navarro, has asked President Ángel Víctor Torres to demand the application of the agreement signed in 2007 by Morocco and Spain to facilitate the return of minors.
The Ministry of the Interior indicated to the justice system that it had requested to respect the provisions contained in Article 5 of the 2007 agreement concluded between Spain and Morocco, "relating to cooperation in the field of prevention of illegal immigration of unaccompanied minors, their protection and their concerted return".
The European Union’s policy of returning irregular migrants has shown its limits. This is at least what the European Court of Auditors affirms, calling on the European Commission to review its policy of agreements with countries of origin, including Morocco.
The President of the Government of Ceuta, Juan Vivas (PP), insisted on Monday on the need to proceed with the repatriation of the 700 Moroccan minors who continue to wander in the autonomous city after their massive arrival in May.
In Paris, the police arrested a bus from Briançon that was transporting about fifty migrants, mostly from Tunisia, Morocco , Egypt, Iraq or Afghanistan.
SOS Jeunes/Quartier libre AMO, Médecins sans frontières, Médecins du monde and the Bxl Refugees citizens’ platform are alerting on the precarious situation of foreign minors in Brussels. For his part, Sammy Mahdi, Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, affirms that the phenomenon is real but assures that Belgium is already collaborating with Morocco with a view to their repatriation.
Eighteen young migrants, mostly from Kasba Tadla, perished in the sinking of their boat heading to the Canary Islands, plunging the entire city into mourning.
Four Moroccan minors would have returned to Ceuta after having already been repatriated to Morocco and handed over to their families. The police are currently searching for them.