SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 30th July (EUROPA PRESS) –
A crisis committee will be established in the Canary Islands to address the pressing migration situation. This decision was communicated on Tuesday by the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, during the plenary session of the Canary Islands Immigration Forum held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The meeting was also attended by the Vice President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, and the Minister of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Families, Candelaria Delgado.
The Canarian Executive is moving forward with its strategy to tackle the migration crisis on the islands. Fernando Clavijo emphasised, “The aim is to be prepared for the expected increase in migration so that we can effectively and collaboratively address the situations that will arise in the upcoming weeks.”
During the meeting, it was also agreed to establish a permanent committee for this forum. Third Sector entities were requested to provide immediate information on their capacity for housing in order to respond promptly to urgent situations.
The various measures being implemented by the regional government were presented in order to ensure a “realistic and agreed” response from the State regarding the over 5,600 unaccompanied minors currently housed in the network of 80 facilities across the archipelago.
Clavijo shared the outcomes of the meeting he had on Monday in Madrid with international organisations and third sector entities involved in the care of unaccompanied minors. He announced that “the Government will persist in working throughout August for the approval of a decree law by the Council of Ministers. This will enable us to address the migration crisis on the islands with the collective responsibility of all the autonomous communities.”
The Vice President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, commended “the efforts made by the Government of the Canary Islands to reach this agreement, which will allow us to legislate and transfer unaccompanied minors” to other autonomous communities. He expressed gratitude “to those at the forefront providing care to these minors, to the NGOs, and to all the parties involved in managing the humanitarian crisis on the islands.”
Minister of Social Welfare, Candelaria Delgado, revealed that she has requested information from organisations dedicated to accommodating unaccompanied minors arriving in the archipelago to ascertain the actual reception capacity available on the islands. This will inform new emergency measures, including the recent setting up of tents on the docks of the Islands.
Delgado highlighted that last October, an average of 100 unaccompanied minors arrived on the coasts of the archipelago per day. Forecasts for this year indicate a much higher number, estimating that the arrival of children in small boats and cayucos could require accommodating 16,000 children in total. “We need to be prepared,” she emphasised.
Delgado stressed that the situation in the Canary Islands “remains complex and unsustainable. We are still struggling to find resources or facilities to place these children with the necessary safety and care they deserve. It is not only a legal requirement but also a matter of protecting these minors and prioritising their well-being above all,” she stated.
These were among the key topics discussed during the Plenary meeting, along with the establishment of the Crisis Committee and the Permanent Commission of the Forum to collectively address urgent migration issues. Other significant aspects, such as the forthcoming approval of the Canary Islands Plan for Coexistence and Interculturality and the upcoming celebration of the Canary Islands Migration Day, were also addressed.
This marks the first meeting held by the Canary Islands Immigration Forum following the recent reappointment of its members. This forum, an advisory body of the Canary Islands Government, brings together representatives of the autonomous Executive, the Canary Islands Federation of Islands (Fecai), the Canary Islands Federation of Municipalities (Fecam), the central Government, associations supporting immigrants or refugees, non-governmental organisations, trade unions, business entities, and neighbourhood organisations.
