Sira Rego denounces lack of cooperation from Morocco in identifying unaccompanied minors

The Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, denounced this Monday the lack of collaboration from Morocco when it comes to identifying the parents of unaccompanied minors who are in Spain, which prevents their return and family reunification. "Before July 30, around 600 files had already been sent to Morocco to verify the situation of minors. Do you know what the response has been until today? Silence. We continue waiting," said Rego during his appearance in the Youth and Children's commission of Congress.

"If reunification is safe, reunification is done. It has always been done and will continue to be done, but while these procedures are resolved, these children cannot be left helpless. It is our obligation to protect them," said Rego, emphasizing that "a family reunification with guarantees protects children, but a collective expulsion violates their rights."

Minister Rego's words contradict the story of the Government and the president himself, Pedro Sánchez, who this Monday highlighted in an interview on Cadena Ser the "frankly positive" collaboration of Rabat in matters of migration. Likewise, Sánchez stressed that after the massive entry of immigrants into Ceuta, on July 30 and 31, Morocco offered "instant and immediate cooperation" to confront the crisis.

Rego, on the other hand, has highlighted in the commission the limited cooperation of the Moroccan authorities when seeking family reunification of unaccompanied minors who crossed the border. In that sense, the minister has said that her department has already "identified 700 girls and many children under 13 years of age" and has advocated for their transfer to the peninsula. In total, the minister has estimated that there are 1,478 immigrant minors who have been identified in Ceuta after the massive entry of foreigners.

"The reception must be carried out with guarantees for the city of Ceuta and to guarantee the human rights of these boys and girls. The responsibility does not only lie with the people of Ceuta," he said, defending "the solidarity and binding reception mechanism" established by the Immigration Law. "Childhood is a responsibility and a country issue," he stressed.

The head of Children has also explained that her Ministry is considering placing vulnerable minors in the private homes of families who have voluntarily offered to host them: "We have received many requests from families throughout the territory, who have generously made themselves available to host these boys and girls in their homes."