Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Asselborn, reiterated the idea a month ago in Brussels. Luxembourg will now lead the way in welcoming the young refugees.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, told ZDF on Friday evening that the first of the children, who are currently unaccompanied in a Greek refugee camp, will arrive in Luxembourg over the coming weeks. The children, mostly girls, are aged 14 and under and some are in urgent need of care. As well as Luxembourg, Germany, France, Portugal, Finland, Lithuania, Croatia and Ireland have all agreed to take a number of the children.
Von der Leyen said it had initially been a difficult process, identifying the children and clarifying conditions with the member states. However, the Commissioner for Migration confirmed this week that conditions had been met and the children could begin to be evacuated from the camp.
The European Commission President also underlined the need to protect the weakest and most vulnerable people living in the camps, particularly during the global crisis. Von der Leyen said these people would potentially be taken to hotels if the coronavirus began spreading through refugee camps, and that it was only a matter of time.
