Young males of sub-Saharan descent, aged between 13 and 18, predominantly from Senegal, represent the typical demographic of minors being accommodated in the Canary Islands.
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 18 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The recent agreement reached at the Sectoral Conference on Children and Youth to transfer 347 migrant minors from the Canary Islands to other autonomous communities faces not only the willingness of regional administrations but also bureaucratic obstacles that impede the process.
“There is a wide array of case scenarios,” remarked Francis Candil, the Canary Islands Government’s Deputy Minister for Social Welfare, in an interview with Europa Press, acknowledging the challenges involved in establishing protocols between regions.
The crux of the referral process lies in a protocol sent by the Canary Islands to the receiving autonomous community, enabling them to make their “contributions” before it is returned. However, the initial hurdle arises here, as it is often unclear whom to address it to, with responsible personnel being on leave or absent due to illness, leading to initial delays.
Candil elaborated that once the protocol is mutually agreed upon by both regions, the task of selecting the profiles of minors for transfer commences.
“They might specify preferences such as sub-Saharan boys aged 10 to 15, or younger children, or boys nearing adulthood at 16, or a focus on girls under 12,” he highlighted.
Another frequent issue arises when regions request more time to establish reception facilities, citing their unavailability. For instance, Navarra requested minors but had to wait until the end of the academic year.
Candil believes that the protocol “could be streamlined significantly” and advocates for efforts within the Sectoral Conference to reduce the scope for requests or contributions, as this currently makes the Canary Islands overly reliant on other communities.
Despite the absence of technical barriers to transferring the agreed-upon 347 minors through the sectoral arrangement, the Canary Islands urgently need to relocate a minimum of 2,500 minors, given the saturation of their reception network with 80 centres.
“Sector conference solutions serve as temporary fixes for us. While we welcome them and view them as progress in the right direction, the numbers fall short of the existing reality and our desired outcome,” he commented.
EVALUATING AGREEMENTS VIA BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS
To expedite the process, the Canarian Government is organising bilateral talks with each autonomous community to review protocols and assess individual circumstances.
“There might be challenges, but the issue of referring these children is not insurmountable,” he emphasised, adding that despite attempts to “magnify difficulties and create obstacles,” the Canary Islands remain “overwhelmed” with over 5,700 minors under care.
Regarding the demographic profile of minors in the archipelago, he highlighted that male adolescents aged 13 to 18, primarily from sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Senegal, form the majority, with significantly fewer hailing from North Africa.
Following Senegal, the notable countries of origin include Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Guinea Conakry, and Mauritania, as well as a few other “highly emblematic” cases.
