Sweden to fund youth care homes in Morocco

Sweden is to pay for children and youth homes in Morocco that will house Moroccan children who are currently living on the streets of Swedish cities.

The Moroccan street kids are not eligible to apply for asylum in Sweden, where they sleep rough. Now, Swedish authorities are planning to set up a joint committee with the Moroccans in order to solve practical and logistical issues around the repatriation of the street children.

"We are prepared to contribute financially in order to ensure these children have a socially sustainable situation when they return (to Morocco)," Swedish interior minister Anders Ygeman told Swedish Television. He added that the care homes should be adjusted to suit the specific needs of the children.

An estimated 800 unaccompanied migrant children from Morocco and other North African countries are currently in Sweden, according to the Swedish Ministry for Justice. Many are vulnerable and sustain themselves through crimes.

Morocco has previously refused to take in deported street children, saying their nationality cannot be proven since they do not carry passports. However, it seems the attitude is changing.

In the past, Sweden has worked with Algeria to improve corporation around the repatriation of street children to that country. Moreover, deals with other countries could soon be underway, including with Afghanistan.

Asked why Sweden should pay for the return of Moroccan street children, Ygeman said: "We have a common responsibility to make sure they return."

Ygeman also said that Sweden has "quite a well-functioning collaboration with the other North African nations that tend to collaborate when Sweden sends requests to help establish the identity of foreign nationals. "To some extent that also goes for Morocco," Ygeman told Swedish Television. Endit