They are masons, drivers, construction workers, domestic workers or small-scale traders. For many Senegalese people , Mauritania has for decades been a land of opportunity and enterprise. Settled in Nouakchott, Rosso or Nouadhibou, they contribute to the country’s economy, often far from the families they have left behind in Senegal. However, in recent weeks, this community has been living in a state of tension amid the turmoil of a tougher migration policy.

However, in recent weeks, this community has been gripped by tension and uncertainty following a hardening of migration policy. Officially, Mauritania claims that its crackdown is aimed at irregular migrants, particularly those transiting to Europe via the Canary Islands. However, many Senegalese individuals with valid residence permits report experiencing harassment, arbitrary arrest and expulsion.

Legally established Senegalese people have also been targeted

“These are bricklayers, labourers and drivers,” said Youssou Dieng, vice-president of FAGSEM, the Federation of Senegalese Associations and Groups in Mauritania (Fédération des associations et groupements des Sénégalais en Mauritanie ), in an interview with freelance journalist Louise Marie Ndiaye. He believes that the recent raids stem from pervasive suspicion. “One day they’re here; the next, they’re treated like illegal immigrants. It’s mind-boggling,” he added.

On 16 and 17 July, Fagsem staged an unprecedented 48-hour strike to protest against the arbitrary arrests, capturing the mounting frustration of a community that felt completely abandoned.

“If the police or National Guard find you in the street or at work, they will ask if you are a Mauritanian national. If not, you will either be repatriated immediately or taken to a camp where deportations are processed. You may be held there for two, three or four days before being escorted to the border,” Oumar Ndaw, Fagsem’s vice-president for external affairs, told RFI.

There are also chilling testimonies circulating among migrants in transit. “They beat us up and took everything we had: money, watches, phones,” a Nigerian man told AFP after being deported. Then they handcuffed us and threw us onto overcrowded buses,” a Nigerian man told AFP after being deported. Between January and April 2025, Mauritanian authorities intercepted over 30 000 migrants and dismantled 88 smuggling networks, according to the Spanish newspaper El País.

Agreement to protectpoorly enforced

The migration accord between Dakar and Nouakchott aimed to regulate and safeguard cross-border movement. Signed on 2 June 2025, it replaced an earlier agreement from 1972. The new text sets out clear rules: Senegalese and Mauritanian citizens may reside in the other country for up to three months without restriction. Beyond that, they were required to obtain a residence permit, which is generally issued even without a work contract or proof of income, for an initial period of one year. This more flexible approach was welcomed by associations.

The accord also states that both countries “shall remove all obstacles to the free movement of their nationals” and collaborate to combat illegal immigration. However, many Senegalese people complain that it is being implemented in an arbitrary and unfair manner.

“Between Rosso and Mauritania, there are eight checkpoints. Everywhere else, they let us through. But in Nouakchott, the authorities claim our residence cards are fake, even though they were issued by their own police and contain our fingerprints,” says Youssou Dieng. “They pick you up, take you to a camp, send you back to Rosso and blacklist you.”

With Europe in the background

This tightening of restrictions is closely linked to Europe’s influence. In March 2024, Nouakchott signed an agreement with the European Union amid concerns about the resurgence of migration routes to the Canary Islands. In exchange for €210 million in financial aid, Mauritania agreed to increase border control measures, build detention centres, and dismantle smuggling networks. Since then, the number of arrivals have dropped by more than 40%.

However, long-standing workers have experienced increased surveillance, arrests and persistent legal uncertainty as a result of this pressure. “People who have been working here for years are suddenly being treated like illegal immigrants,” laments Fagsem.

Could this be a way out of the crisis?Amid growing tensions, Dakar and Nouakchott have announced consultations aimed at improving the implementation of the agreement reached in June. According to Senegal’s Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs, the provisional application of the agreement would commence on 25 July. The authorities have pledged to “remove all obstacles to free movement”. However, concerns remain high for Oumar, Mamadou and the many others caught up in this uncertain situation.