By William de LesseuxPosted on 07-10-2019Modified on 07-10-2019 at 05:06

In France, the deputies debate this Monday of immigration. The figures of so-called illegal arrivals in Europe of migrants from the African continent are stopping. According to Frontex, in a year migrants are 30% less to come to the continent. Reportage in Senegal, where the candidates seem less numerous to want to take the irregular migratory routes, often dangerous.

In the popular suburb of Dakar, Pikine, the activity does not stop on Sunday. A cap, a green t-shirt: in the shade in front of a carpenter's shop, Mbaye Mor Dioum comes to escape the heat of his apartment. The young man, an artist, would like to go to France. " I want to discover other horizons. As an artist, that seems important to me. I think about France for a few months now. But it's difficult to realize this project, "he concedes.

In order to " concretize ", will the young rapper take an illegal route? " There is no question! I thought about it ... and then no. Too many risks. I will not go through the illegal way. I do not see myself taking the sea just to go to France ... it's not worth it. He says he started administrative procedures, which have remained unsuccessful for the moment.

Mbaye Mor Dioum is one of the few candidates from the city to have changed his mind. He is followed by the members of the Association Académie Banlieue Culture, who organize conferences and workshops for young people about to leave. Its president, Amath Sarr, believes it is better to " invest in his country " rather than " spend millions [CFA francs, several thousand euros, Ed] to try a road that anyway is unlikely to succeed ".

Fixing effects

In recent years, the association has less trouble convincing young people to stay. " There are testimonies of those who come back from France, explains Amath Sarr, and their galleys are far from the projections that some may have. Europe has become harder. "Quit to become less and less attractive.

At his side, one of his friends came for tea, Ibrahima Ba, opine of the chief. Graduate of a Master 2, he never wanted to leave. " We have so much potential and resources to exploit here ... I do not find it worthwhile to leave. If we are aware of all this we can get rich in Senegal. I am in the mood to invest and to invest myself here ".

" There are things that fix us in Senegal right now. Signals Like the mosque of Massalikoul Djinane! Amath Sarr outbid, evoking the new mosque of the murid brotherhood in the heart of Dakar. The cost of 30 million euros, the place of worship was built and funded by the faithful, inaugurated in late September.

Dissuasive measures

The enthusiasm shown by some young people can also mask the desire of many others, who announce it very rarely to their entourage. The plans to go by pirogue to Spain - one of the subjects of the Atlantic film, by Mati Diop - or to take the road to Libya remain a reality.

" Certainly, there is a significant drop in the number of departures to Europe, " said Florence Kim, spokesman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in West Africa. But " the loss of flows does not mean that there is a loss of attractiveness for Europe, which has always been fantasized. But it becomes inaccessible, the roads to get there are dangerous and a 'wall' has in some ways been erected by the continent at the borders. Inaccessible physically but also culturally: there is a decline in migration flows to other countries such as Turkey for example. "

The fact remains that the vast majority of migrations in West Africa take place in the sub-region. Nearly two out of three Senegalese migrated to neighboring countries - and not to Europe - in 2018, according to the Senegalese National Statistics Agency.

    On the same subject

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