Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Ceuta warns of 'unsustainable' child migrant situation, pleads for aid
Ceuta is a small Spanish city that sits on the coast of Africa, next to the country of Morocco.
Last week, a very large number of people came into Ceuta from Morocco all at once.
Most of them have gone back, but about 2,500 people have stayed.
Many of these people are children who arrived without their parents.
The leader of Ceuta, Juan Jesus Vivas, says the city cannot take care of so many children.
He says the city only has room for about 90 children but is now looking after 1,100.
The children do not have enough food, water, or places to sleep, and their safety is at risk.
The Spanish government has promised 25 million euros to help the city.
Sadly, Spanish officials say 78 people died last week trying to reach Ceuta.
Mr. Vivas says he warned the government in advance, but the government says it did not know the rush would be so big.
Ceuta's leader Juan Jesus Vivas told public broadcaster RTVE the child migrant situation was 'absolutely unsustainable', with 1,100 youngsters in care against a theoretical capacity of 90 and 'a high risk for order and public security'.
Spain says 70,000 of the 72,000 migrants who entered Ceuta from Morocco have returned, leaving roughly 2,500, including hundreds of unaccompanied minors with limited access to food, water, shelter and sanitation.
Save the Children estimates around 1,000 'unprotected' minors are among the migrants still in Ceuta, and Vivas has pleaded for government aid to help the territory of 84,000 inhabitants.
The ministry for youth and children has announced 25 million euros ($29 million) of emergency funding to help Ceuta care for the minors.
Spanish legal authorities raised the death toll from last week's influx to 78 after a body was recovered late Wednesday, while Morocco's interior ministry reported 11 deaths on the Moroccan side, all but one by drowning.
- Who
- Ceuta's leader Juan Jesus Vivas, the Spanish government, Socialist deputy prime minister Carlos Cuerpo, Spain's top official in Ceuta Miguel Angel Perez, and the charity Save the Children.
- What
- Ceuta's leader warns that the number of unaccompanied child migrants left in the territory is 'absolutely unsustainable' and pleads for government aid as reception centres are overwhelmed.
- When
- Reported on Wednesday, following last week's migrant influx; Vivas says he warned Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's office on July 27.
- Where
- Ceuta, Spain's north African territory bordering Morocco.
- Why
- Hundreds of unaccompanied minors remain in Ceuta after the influx, facing dire conditions with limited food, water, shelter and sanitation, and overwhelming a reception system built for about 90 children.
Spanish central government
Ceuta's PP leadership and hard-line parties
Prior warning and state of emergency
Spanish central government
The government maintains it received no prior warning of the scale of the incident and told Ceuta that declaring a national state of emergency was 'not legally possible'.
Ceuta's PP leadership and hard-line parties
Vivas says he called Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's office on July 27 warning 'we were headed for serious trouble', adding: 'We gave sufficient warning that the situation was becoming extremely strained and that exceptional measures needed to be adopted.'
Redistribution of unaccompanied minors
Spanish central government
Socialist deputy prime minister Carlos Cuerpo insists the PP and its regional governments 'must comply with the law just like everyone else', implying they should accept the legally provided redistribution of the children.
Ceuta's PP leadership and hard-line parties
Regions governed by the PP and the anti-immigration, far-right Vox party are likely to resist receiving the unaccompanied minors under existing legal provisions.
Adequacy of aid for Ceuta
Spanish central government
The ministry for youth and children has announced 25 million euros ($29 million) of emergency funding so Ceuta can care for the minors.
Ceuta's PP leadership and hard-line parties
Vivas pleads for more help, calling the situation 'absolutely unsustainable' as authorities care for 1,100 children against a capacity of 90, with a 'high risk for order and public security'.
- Migrants who entered Ceuta
- 72,000
- Migrants who have returned
- 70,000
- Migrants still in Ceuta
- About 2,500
- Unaccompanied minors in authorities' care
- 1,100 (theoretical capacity: 90)
- Save the Children estimate
- Around 1,000 'unprotected' minors still in Ceuta
- Emergency funding announced
- 25 million euros ($29 million)
- Death toll from influx
- 78 per Spanish authorities; Morocco reported 11 deaths on its side
- Population of Ceuta
- 84,000