Madrid increases aid to deal with migrant crisis 05/09/2006 00:00

5 September 2006

MADRID — Madrid reached a deal with non-governmental organisations on Tuesday to provide more cash aid to deal with the migrant crisis.

The centres in the Canary Islands are saturated after more than 21,000 migrants arrived this year from West African countries.

Over 80 percent of them have been cared for by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), said Jesus Caldera, the minister for work and social affairs.

Caldera said the government would increase financial aid to these NGOs to help them develop more centres in African countries and the Canarys.

Meanwhile, José Segura, spokesman for the Canarys regional government, said the reception centres for migrants were "ultra-saturated".

Segura told National Radio the best form to fight against this problem was to deploy more patrols, aircraft, helicopters and satellite technology on the African coasts to detect the kayaks once they have left.

Adán Martín, regional prime minister of the Canarys, asked the islands parliament on Tuesday: "How many more victims, how many more photos of exhausted bodies does it need?" before Spain and the European Union act.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news