Following the mass arrival of migrants to Spain's Ceuta enclave three weeks ago, authorities have set up facilities to house 1,800 migrants sleeping rough. The news comes amid reports of precarious living conditions, sexual assaults, the spread of infectious diseases and other concerns.
Local and national authorities in the enclave of Ceuta have launched an emergency operation to provide shelter for 1,800 individuals currently staying on a local beach, news agency EFE and other Spanish media outlets reported on Thursday (August 20).
The initiative, which comes three weeks after the large-scale arrival of irregular migrants from across the Moroccan border, aims to address the migrants' precarious living conditions caused by the critical lack of suitable reception infrastructure in the autonomous Spanish city.
The Spanish government has established several temporary reception facilities to accommodate the migrants, many of whom have been sheltering on Trampolín Beach (Playa del Trampolín) since their arrival on July 30. It plans to gradually increase the number of available spots, EFE reported.
While the majority of those who entered Ceuta -- including a large number of children -- returned to Morocco shortly after, a significant cohort remains in the city, surviving in precarious circumstances, though official counts are unavailable.
Estimates range from 2,000 to 5,000 people, France24 reported earlier this week.
Since early Thursday, the transfer to these new facilities has been ongoing on a voluntary basis. This effort is being conducted in close coordination with the State Security Forces and the Ceuta government, EFE reported citing sources from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration.
Currently, two of the planned four facilities have opened temporarily, with capacity expected to grow.
Early Thursday morning, security forces began evacuating Trampolín Beach, according to El País and other Spanish outlets. The migrants were reportedly divided into groups based on their language and were taken to the aforementioned shelters.
'Adequate and safe conditions'?
Officials state the primary objective of the initiative is "to address the situation of people who were living on the streets" following the mass arrivals, EFE reported.
By offering an alternative form of housing and shelter "under adequate and safe conditions," authorities reportedly hope to prevent individuals from having to spend their nights on public streets or the beach. The ministry added that the goal is "to ensure that the deployment of resources and the transfer of people are carried out in an orderly and safe manner."
This emergency plan, developed alongside local nonprofit organizations, aims to expand Ceuta's reception infrastructure to cope with the exceptional crisis.
Since the large-scale arrival began, local leaders, including Ceuta's president Juan Jesús Vivas, and neighborhood groups have expressed growing concern regarding street-level living conditions and the impact on local businesses.
Recently, the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz, signaled that capacity could eventually reach 4,000 spaces through the creation of four additional humanitarian centers, which are already under development.
On Monday, Saiz furthermore announced the construction of four temporary locations for humanitarian assistance. According to a press release by the ministry, migrants can receive food kits, feminine hygiene kits and basic health assistance at the sites.
with EFE