EU provides €115m to help Spain tackle Ceuta migration crisis

The European Union is providing Spain with around €115 million ($134 million) to tackle the migration crisis in its North African exclave of Ceuta.

The funds are intended to strengthen border protection and surveillance.

They will also be used to provide decent accommodation for unaccompanied minors and to facilitate the return of people without the right to reside, the European Commission said in Brussels on Wednesday.

Spain submitted a request for emergency aid on August 24.

According to government figures, around 72,000 migrants swam from Morocco to Ceuta on July 30 and 31 or climbed over border fences. Most returned within hours.

However, even a good month later, several thousand migrants were still in the area. According to the regional president responsible, the exact number remains unclear.