The Spanish government has approved an extraordinary 165 million euro package for Ceuta, aimed at easing the economic and social impact left by this summer's migration crisis in the autonomous city. The measure comes after Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo traveled to Ceuta to finalize the plan's details with local authorities.
Of the total, 35 million euros will go toward direct aid for small and medium sized businesses and self employed workers, while another 15 million will support commerce and tourism, two sectors hit especially hard in August. A further 15 million will reinforce health, education and justice services, which have had to absorb extraordinary pressure since the emergency broke out.
On top of those amounts, 25 million euros are earmarked specifically for the care of minors in the city, one of the most sensitive aspects of the crisis given the high number of unaccompanied minors who arrived in Ceuta in recent months. In total, 80 million will be injected into the local economy over the next four months, while another 70 million is planned for 2027.
The government has stressed that this shock package is separate from Ceuta's Comprehensive Socioeconomic Development Plan, underway since 2022, which has already mobilized around 180 million euros in additional funding. The new plan, according to government sources, addresses the immediate consequences of the crisis and does not replace the structural investments already committed to the city.
The announcement comes at a moment of high political tension, with Pedro Sanchez set to appear before Congress to explain his handling of the migration crisis, while the government also maintains a request for emergency funding from the European Union to cover the costs stemming from the mass arrival of people in the city in late July.