As part of efforts to combat significant levels of irregular
migration from Senegal, the Senegalese government and IOM have
launched an information campaign aimed at raising awareness of the
dangers of irregular migration and at preventing it.

Run by IOM and using largely radio, television and newspapers in
Senegal to get the messages out, the campaign will also include a
road show at a later date which would travel to towns and villages
affected by high rates of emigration in a bid to raise awareness of
the phenomenon. Nearly 32,000 irregular migrants arrived on the
coast of the Canary Islands last year with many other migrants
drowning at sea after travelling on overcrowded and rickety
boats.

The campaign will not only support government efforts to stem
irregular migration but will also inform potential migrants of
legal methods of migration in an effort to avoid the many tragedies
befalling irregular migrants, often including loss of life at sea
in rickety boats.

Launched in the presence of Ousmane Ngom, Senegal’s
Minister of the Interior, the information campaign is the first
step in a broader effort to specifically engage migrant source
regions within Senegal as well as border areas in the battle
against irregular migration.

In addition to the campaign, a joint initiative of IOM and the
Spanish government, IOM will be supporting Senegalese efforts to
put in place strategies allowing Senegalese youth to contribute to
the socio-economic development of their country. Support will be
provided to returned and potential migrants in income-generating
opportunities as well as associations and state centres working in
this domain.

The campaign falls within a programme of inter-regional dialogue
between the European Union (EU) and North and Sub-Saharan Africa
which is funded by the European Commission, Germany, Belgium,
Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

As part of its efforts also to strengthen the capacity of
Senegalese authorities in managing migration to, from and within
its borders and supported by the European Commission and the French
government, IOM is simultaneously providing various equipment,
including vehicles, computers and fraud-detecting materials, to
authorities responsible for migration management.

For further information, please contact:

Isabelle de Goussencourt

IOM Dakar

Tel: +221 869 6200

E-mail: "mailto:idegoussencourt@iom.int">idegoussencourt@iom.int