The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Ambassador Tomáš Boček, will be conducting a fact-finding mission to Spain from 18 to 24 March 2018.
The Special Representative will visit migrant temporary stay facilities and centres for children in the Spanish enclaves Ceuta and Melilla. He will also visit migrant detention facilities and reception centres for refugees in Murcia, Valencia and the Madrid area. The SRSG will have meetings with Spanish government officials, regional and local authorities, the Ombudsman and the Mayor of Madrid. In addition, he will meet relevant international organisations and NGOs.
While arrivals of migrants and refugees in Italy and Greece decreased in 2017 compared to the year before, the arrivals and asylum claims in Spain doubled in 2017. The challenges are important, especially in Ceuta and Melilla, where a number of children are living on the streets.
The purpose of the mission is to gather information on the situation of migrants and refugees and to elaborate proposals for concrete Council of Europe action on how to assist Spain to face the increasing migratory flows, while respecting its human rights commitments. The protection of the most vulnerable groups, in particular unaccompanied children, is one of the Special Representative’s priorities.
Following his visit, the Special Representative will publish a report setting out his conclusions and recommendations.
On 26 February 2018, the Special Representative published his First Activity Report covering the last two years and outlining the priorities for his second mandate, which started on 1 February 2018.