Blogs and Articles
According to the NGO Caminando Fronteras, 2024 became the deadliest year for migrants trying to reach the Canary Islands by crossing the Atlantic Ocean. More than 10,400 people either perished or disappeared attempting to reach the European Union on this route.[1] This blog strives to explore some policies that could bring an end to this humanitarian crisis. In fact, while the European Union has been adopting policies to externalize its borders for years, in recent months, Spain and the Senegalese civil society are either endorsing or adopting new policies that have the potential to create safer and more human pathways for migration. More specifically, the blog focuses on circular migration, a Spanish policy through which people are recruited to work in Spain for a limited period of time, and on the change in the Schengen visa policies, demanded by numerous Senegalese NGOs.
CIRCULAR MIGRATION
Circular migration is a relatively new policy enacted by the Spanish government in collaboration with its Western African partners. It consists of providing 4-year-long authorizations to work in Spain, especially in the agricultural sector, for a maximum of 9 months per year, to a set number of workers.[2] During the rest of the year, the workers are supported to return to their home countries, “with the benefits that this can bring to the developments of their communities” as reported by the Spanish Social Security and Migration Minister Saiz.[3] Circular migration came into existence following the Spanish Prime Minister’s visit to his Senegalese, Gambian and Mauritanian counterparts at the end of August 2024. These meetings, which aimed at strengthening bilateral and regional collaborations, led to the formalization of three memorandums, which defined the terms of circular migration.[4]
While this initiative has the potential of representing a valid alternative to deadlier migration routes, its scale is too limited, and it is not able to respond to the needs of most of the people seeking to migrate to Europe. In fact, on the 27th of January 2025, the Senegalese government opened the application process to recruit 370 people who will take part in circular migration. In just two days, the Senegalese institutions received more than 10,000 applications.[5] This information should come as no surprise considering that Senegal is afflicted by a very high unemployment rate, reaching 20% in the fourth semester of 2024.[6] Therefore, it is necessary that circular migration becomes a more ample initiative in order for it to represent a concrete solution to the humanitarian crisis that the Sahel region is facing today.
Finally, while circular migration has been received positively by many NGOs, some representants of the Senegalese civil society, like Abdoulaye Ndiaye, a specialist on Migration and human rights, fear that this initiative could be instrumentalized to legitimize and hide important violations of the migrants’ human rights.[7] These concerns are justified by the way governments all around the world have used different strategies to divert the public’s attention from their anti-migrant policies. These policies often consist of the reinforcement of borders patrolling, externalization of the borders and arbitrary deportations, all of which often represent a breach of the migrants’ rights guaranteed by the Geneva Convention.[8]
TENS OF SENEGALESE NGOs CALL FOR AN IMPROVEMENT OF THE EU VISA POLICIES
In Senegal – one of the countries from which the pirogues depart to attempt to reach Spain – tens of different NGOs are asking for a radical change in the visa policies adopted by the EU in African countries.[9] Indeed, according to a reportage by France 24, in 2023, 70% of the visa applications for the Schengen area coming from African countries were refused.[10]
According to these NGOs, these refusals are often arbitrary and do not follow the legal protocols. Additionally, they affirm that the application process is so dispendious and complex to be inaccessible to most of the population from the countries of departure.[11] The president of the NGO Otra Africa, Souleymane Aliou Diallo, affirms that “today, to have a meeting at the Italian embassy, you need to pay 500 000 CFA (837 USD) and this is just to file the documents.”[12] This amount is especially unattainable in a country like Senegal, where the average monthly salary is 96206 CFA or 161 USD in 2017, according to the National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD).[13] For this reason, he adds that “if the conventions were respected, this crisis would have not occurred.” Moreover, he urges together with other Senegalese NGOs and representatives of the civil society, that the EU simplifies the visa application process to stop this humanitarian catastrophe.[14]
RECOMMENDATIONS
In conclusion, some of the strategies mentioned in this blog have the potential to create safe pathways for people from the Sahel region to migrate to Europe. In fact, circular migration, if accessible to more people, represents a viable option for persons seeking job opportunities outside of their country. In addition, changing the Schengen visa system, as proposed by the Senegalese NGOs, would provide an alternative to the deadly migration routes that today represent the only viable option for many migrants who seek to reach European shores. Acting in accordance with these policies will prevent the perpetuation of this humanitarian crisis and lead to the respect of the migrants’ human rights. For the purpose of reaching these aims, we recommend:
EXPANDING CIRCULAR MIGRATION by making it accessible to a wider number of people and by adopting this policy on a European level, rather than only on a national one.
RESPECTING THE GENEVA CONVENTION by assuring the right to ask for asylum to all migrants.
CREATING HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS, instead of criminalizing and dissuading migration.
FACILITATING THE SCHENGEN VISA PROCESS FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES, by respecting the already existing conventions, simplifying the process and making it less expensive.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] Monitoring the right to life – 2024. Caminando Fronteras. (n.d.). https://caminandofronteras.org/en/monitoreo/monitoring-the-right-to-life-2024/
[2] El Gobierno Firma Acuerdos con Mauritania, Gambia y Senegal para Reforzar Vías Seguras y Regulares de Migración y proteger los derechos de los trabajadores. La Moncloa. 29/08/2024. El Gobierno firma acuerdos con Mauritania, Gambia y Senegal para reforzar vías seguras y regulares de migración y proteger los derechos de los trabajadores [Prensa/Actualidad/Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones]. (n.d.). https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/serviciosdeprensa/notasprensa/inclusion/paginas/2024/290824-saiz-acuerdos-africa.aspx
[3] El Gobierno Firma Acuerdos con Mauritania, Gambia y Senegal para Reforzar Vías Seguras y Regulares de Migración y proteger los derechos de los trabajadores. La Moncloa. 29/08/2024. El Gobierno firma acuerdos con Mauritania, Gambia y Senegal para reforzar vías seguras y regulares de migración y proteger los derechos de los trabajadores [Prensa/Actualidad/Inclusión, Seguridad Social y Migraciones]. (n.d.). https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/serviciosdeprensa/notasprensa/inclusion/paginas/2024/290824-saiz-acuerdos-africa.aspx
[4] Pedro Sánchez Anuncia en Senegal la Creación de la “alianza áfrica avanza” para promover El Crecimiento Económico y sostenible de la región. La Moncloa. 28/08/2024. Pedro Sánchez anuncia en Senegal la creación de la “Alianza África Avanza” para promover el crecimiento económico y sostenible de la región [Presidente/Actividad]. (n.d.). https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/presidente/actividades/paginas/2024/280824-sanchez-viaje-senegal.aspx
[5] Mbow, P. B. (2025, March 6). Décryptage – Sénégal : Comprendre Les Accords de migration circulaire avec l’espagne . Africa Check. https://africacheck.org/fr/fact-checks/fiches-dinformation/explainer-decryptage-senegal-comprendre-la-migration-circulaire-avec-espagne
[6] Enquête emploi. Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie (ANSD) du Sénégal. (n.d.). https://www.ansd.sn/Indicateur/enquete-emploi
[7] Lequotidien. (2021, May 15). Les Accords sur la migration entre le sénégal et l’espagne : De la coopération à la violation des droits des travailleurs migrants – lequotidien – journal d’information générale. https://lequotidien.sn/les-accords-sur-la-migration-entre-le-senegal-et-lespagne-de-la-cooperation-a-la-violation-des-droits-des-travailleurs-migrants/
[8] L’Espagne Devrait promouvoir les droits sociaux, Mieux Garantir … (2022, November 29). https://www.coe.int/fr/web/commissioner/-/l-espagne-devrait-promouvoir-les-droits-sociaux-mieux-garantir-les-libertés-d-expression-et-de-réunion-et-améliorer-les-droits-humains-des-réfugiés-des-demandeurs-d-asile-et-des-migrants
[9] (2024). CAMPAGNE POUR DES PROCEDURES DE VISA JUSTES ET ÉQUITABLES. DAKAR .
[10] “Sénégal : Ce Que l’on Sait Du Naufrage Au Large de Mbour .” FRANCE 24, 11 Sept. 2024.
[11] Sirito, G. G. (2024, December 06). “Il faut décomplexer la migration.” Walf Quotidien .
[12] Sirito, G. G. (2024, December 06). “Il faut décomplexer la migration.” Walf Quotidien .
[13] Enquête Nationale sur l’emploi au Sénégal Quatrième Semestre 2017. (n.d.-a). https://www.ansd.sn/sites/default/files/2023-05/Rapport_ENES_TRIM4_2017.pdf
[14] Sirito, G. G. (2024, December 06). “Il faut décomplexer la migration.” Walf Quotidien .
