Spain adopts measures to move lone migrant minors away from Canary Islands

Madrid has adopted a measure to redistribute thousands of unaccompanied migrant minors currently sheltered on the Canary Islands to other parts of Spain.

The reform ends a months-long political stalemate between Spain’s regions and the central government and is aimed at easing pressure on overcrowded migrant reception centres, mainly in the Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands is a popular destination for thousands of mostly north African migrants who arrive in the archipelago every year hoping to reach the European Union.

For several months, local leaders in the Canaries have complained about a lack of resources to shelter the thousands of unaccompanied children and teenagers who reach their shores.

In Spain, which has a population of 49 million, the central government handles the treatment of adult migrants, while regional governments are responsible for unaccompanied minors.

After the measure was approved on Tuesday, Ángel Victor Torres, the government minister in charge of Spain's relations with its regions, called it a "milestone in the defence of human rights" and the rights of children.

"It would be good for anyone with doubts to visit a migrant centre," said Torres, who previously led the Canary Islands regional government.

"And see that in spaces for 20 people, there are 300 people, and that they are kids of 15 years, 10 years and five years."

For regions such as the Canary Islands and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa who cannot host more unaccompanied minors, the measure would allow for some of them to be transferred to other regions in Spain, factoring in a region's population, per capita income, unemployment rate and other factors.

The Canary Islands are sheltering more than 5,000 unaccompanied minors across