During President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s official visit to Spain, the Action for Human Rights and Friendship (Adha) NGO criticised the failure of current migration policy. Citing a lack of transparency and an overly security-driven approach, Adha urged the two heads of state to adopt a radical shift that puts human dignity at the centre of their talks.
A presidential visit in a time of crisis
For Adama Mbengue, president of Adha, there is no room for diplomatic celebration during the Senegalese head of state’s visit to Spain. In a blunt statement, the organisation voiced its “deep concern” at the ongoing tragedies of migration that regularly claim lives along coastal routes. This high-level meeting, Adha believes, should mark the start of a new policy that puts people at the heart of decision-making.
Failed circular migration agreements
The promises made during Pedro Sánchez’s visit to Dakar in August 2024 now feel like a distant memory. The circular migration agreements, once billed as a one-size-fits-all solution, have drawn sharp criticism from Adha for their complete lack of transparency. The schemes are “limited, selective and precarious”, the NGO stresses, effectively shutting out the vast majority of young Senegalese. They are better at managing flows administratively, it argues, than at genuinely protecting workers’ rights, which leaves those workers acutely exposed.
Strong criticism of the “security-first” approach
Adha strongly criticises the current strategy, which it sees as focused above all on security, on deterrence and on border control. The approach is cut off from socio-economic realities on the ground, it argues, and merely pushes young people towards ever more dangerous routes. The warning is unequivocal: “Without a clear and courageous break, the same policies will keep producing the same tragedies.” Faced with this impasse, the NGO calls for cooperation grounded in justice and respect for fundamental rights.
Towards a new framework for cooperation
The shift Adha proposes involves setting up effective protection mechanisms and creating meaningful legal pathways. The NGO stresses the need to guarantee migrants genuine access to justice and decent working conditions. The time has come, it argues, to move from crisis management to a policy built on mutual respect, so that the relationship between Senegal and Spain no longer spells human tragedy but the protection of human rights.
