In light of the current challenges, urgent and coordinated action is needed to ensure a more humane and rights-based approach to migration governance.
The report recommends the following measures to authorities:
- Strengthen the capacity of the National Commission for Refugees and Stateless Persons to expedite application processing and improve access to legal status, healthcare and other essential services;
- Expand humanitarian assistance programmes to repatriated migrants and refugees in close partnership with international organisations such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR);
- Coordinate migration management with neighbouring countries to reduce instances of refoulement and ensure compliance with ECOWAS and African Union (AU) protocols on the free movement of persons and the protection of migrants;
Senegal is at a critical juncture. Striking a balance between effective border control and the protection of fundamental rights will be a key challenge in the months ahead.