According to its scientific coordinator, Professor Aly Tandian, a lecturer at the Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis, the project called “Migration and regional integration in West Africa: the case of Guinea, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone” will be implemented for a period of 18 months.
“Through this action and research project, the Agricultural and Rural Foresight Initiative (IPAR) and its partners want to provide a response to better address the issue of intra-African migration with a view to influencing different countries, and on public policy issues.
This sub-regional initiative, funded by OSIWA over a period of 18 months, aims to provide added value in terms of political orientation, support and integration,” Professor Tandiang, the Director of the Study and Research Group on Migration and Facts (GERM-UGB) was quoted as saying by a document seen by APA.
According to the initiators of the project, migration is part of history, culture and daily life in West Africa.
Nowadays, 84 percent of migration flows are taking place there, which contributes to strengthening the regional integration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This South-South migration, seven times larger than the migration from West Africa towards the rest of the world, is a wonderful tool for poverty reduction and development for all the states in the region the organisers said.
Dr. Cheikh Oumar Ba, IPAR’s Executive Director said “this research-action aims to analyze, the exercise of the rights of migrants traveling and settling in the sub-region.”
According to Dr. Ba, “It suggests a combination a careful institutional analysis with the legal and structural dimensions of access to services and other rights, and a qualitative and comprehensive analysis based on the very experience of these populations”.
He said “while focusing on respect for the rights of Senegalese, Nigerien, Guinean and Sierra Leonean migrants, this research will also look at the typology of regular or irregular, temporary or long-term, seasonal, commuting, etc. depending in particular on the level of qualification, the activities performed, the gender”.