The Alpes-Maritimes department has a record number of minor migrants from neighboring Italy and is facing a saturation of its reception structures.
“Some 690 unaccompanied minors (MNA) are currently being cared for by the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Council, a level never reached”
, alerted the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture, confirming information from
Nice-Matin
.
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The prefecture indicates to face a very important flow in January which explains the saturation of the device,
"despite the increase in the number of places"
.
The responsibility for welcoming these people lies with the department.
4,909 unaccompanied minors helped in 2022, up
According to figures provided, 4,909 unaccompanied minors, mainly of African origin, were "sheltered" in 2022, that is to say, emergency accommodation on their arrival for a few days, the time to assess their minority.
They were 4049 in 2021, an increase of 21%.
At the same time, 617 unaccompanied minors were taken care of in long-term accommodation, compared to 442 in 2021 (+40%).
“In eight years, the explosion of migratory flows has led the department to take care of unaccompanied minors multiplied by 28,”
the department told AFP, which can appeal to the solidarity of neighboring departments.
For their part, humanitarian associations denounce the insufficient reception conditions.
“The foster homes are totally saturated.
We denounce the lack of anticipation of the department in the face of this humanitarian crisis”
, reacted David Nakache, president of the association “All citizens”, which mainly deals with unaccompanied foreign minors.
“Faced with the saturation of reception homes, we install these minors in hotel rooms
, underlines the one who rather defends the construction of a new reception center.
We have the impression that the department manages piecemeal, ”
he adds, referring to the 18 people kept in the premises of the border police (PAF) at the start of the week.
David Nakache goes further and hopes that
“asylum seekers in France will benefit from the same aid as that which Ukrainian refugees have received.”
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