Senegalese on the move Senegalese international migration in the context of globalization and financial crisis Dr Serigne Mansour TALL mansour.tall@undp.org
Outline 1 Senegalese international migration : an overview 1.1 Main destinations of senegalese migrants 1.2 Challenges of Remittances 2 Migration and remittances face to global financial and economic crisis 2.1 Manifestations 2.2 Adaptations and resilience 3 Prospects and Concluding remarks
AN OVERVIEW changes of main destinations of senegalese migrants France : flows stagnate after a continuing increase Ex african eldorados between crisis and civil wars : Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast Diamond dealers :security and prosperity for a minority moving in central and soutern Africa Cross border migrations : stock remains important but flows decrease
AN OVERVIEW Realities and promesses of emerging destinations? USA : opportunities for African migrants beyond New York City South Africa : Brief post-apartheid destination, downturn due to security issues and close borders Southern Europe : a new «eldorado» New destinations for traders : senegalese traders as scouts or pioneers for potential migration in trading destinations (China, Thailand, Honk Kong, Turkish, UEA )?
Integration in destination countries trends and risks Destinations are just «field of peanuts» : «work and go back, we don t need comfort or ease» Investing in housing in destinations countries: mimetism or strategy of integration Social and Professional confinement : risks and challenges Looking for regularization : a continuous battle for documents
Intregation in destination : by work A long way from street traders to employees and employers To renew documents Influence of networks Business in new destinations : towards a new migrant profile
Integration in destination countries : associations Various references : ethnic, religious Fast and vast movement of gathering A leadership to reinforce Connexions to create Partnership to diversify Resources to raise Brokering capacities to build
Remittances : importance and types Post office, transfer operators, physical transfer, informal transfer, Official : 500 milliards de F CFA, (1 billion of US $) 6% of GDP(Lesotho, Cape Verde, G; Bissau), 23% exports (Lesotho, CV, Ouganda, Comores), 1/4 of national budget (2000 milliards de FCFA) Non official and official : 1000 milliards de F CFA (2 billion US$) ABD : 900 milliards (IMF, 2008)
Origin of remittances UEMOA : 19% France : 27% Italy : 7% United States of America : 11% Other European countries : 16% Arab countries : 13% Other african countries : 7 % (BCEAO, 2007)
Channels of remittances 90 % of official remittances by operators listed below Western Union 60 % Post : 22% Money Gram : 7% Autres : 11% (BCEAO 2007)
Remittances : how they are used Utilization : arrive on the final target the «household basket», 80% for daily household consumption ADB : 30 % of remittances used for housing, land purchasing and construction Sector (BTP) contribution 5,4% of GDP despite oil and food crisis in 2008
Connexion to be build with institutions of microfinance Remittances : impacts Households receiving remittances and non receiving : remittances bring 30% of household above poverty line (DPEE, 2008) Short term financing for local activities and entreprises : linkages and connexion with local economies Easy access to banks of populations traditionally excluded
Senegalese migrants in a context of global crisis Migrants are the first to loose jobs Lack of qualifications Integration in sectors affected by the crisis : industries, construction, trade, tourism, services Undocumented and vulnerables Xenophobia and «national preference»
Remittances in a context of global crisis Globally World Bank estimate a decrease of 5 to 8% in 2009 IMF : Decrease of 28% in 2009 in Senegal 2009 : 400 milliards de F CFA (prediction) 2008 : 555 milliards de F CFA Migration and remittances more than trade connect Senegal to globalization
Migration and Remittances in a context of global crisis : effects and impacts Individual level Loosing jobs bring to unability to renew documents Shift from regular migrants status to irregular Shift to non authorised and prohibited activities
Migration and remittances in a context of global crisis : effects and impacts Community level Capacities of regulation of social networks are threatened Populations depending on remittances are poors and the most vulnerables among the poors : ageing, women, children (OMD, PRSP) Communities investments are reduced by migrants in order to face to the crisis
Migration and remittances and global crisis : effects and impacts National and transnational level No returning home recorded Development of transnational mobility : move more inside destinations countries More propensity to invest for returning or generating income locally
Migration and remittances in a context of global crisis : adaptation strategies Individual and family levels Involvement of family members left behind in professional activities Diversification of income generation Investments which are not a priority postponed Redevelopment of local activities and investments Use of savings : decrease of remittances does not mean automatic decrease of standart of living and livelihoods (filets de sécurité)
Senegalese migrants coping with global financial crisis : adaptation Reducing expenditures in origin and destination household to basic needs Investing for generating incomes locally Using incomes generated locally for supporting family left behind Returning less frequently in holidays Frequency of remittances extended for reducing remittances costs
Migration and remittances in a context of global crisis : adaptation Community level Decrease of migrants community supporting initiatives Brotherhood associations less dynamic Development of cooperatives for housing Modernization of solidarity systems and mechanisms
Migration and remittances in a context of global crisis : adaptation National and transnational level Development of transnational activities abroard Intra-national mobilities reinforced Circular migration
Non financial transfers : a big potential to be maximised Knowledge transfer : health and ICT, construction Growth of in kind transfers : second hand trade Migrants and local democracy : a new leadership under construction Transnationalism : building economic relationship in destination countries ; migrants as «economic ambassadors»
Senegalese diasporas and transnationalism Maximise diasporas : senegalese diaspora and diasporas in destination countries (Indian in Durban, Chinese in Italy, Afro-american in USA ) Networking : diaspora part of the country Ministry of senegalese abroad Building transnational migrants elites : health, education, technology Promoting transnational connections : private/public ; migrants as brokers
Irregular migration : old facts or new findings Propensity to go beyond the borders : looking for «social elevators» Crisis of traditionals networks (brotherhood, ethnic), renewal of family networks All doors locked : Ceuta et Melilla, Tanger, Desert, Atlantic Ocean a new way to reach Europe and sometimes USA by «cayucos» Slow policy responses face to dynamic migrants practices
Perspects&opportunities Link with microfinance Putting migration into public policies (PRSP, UNDAF, CAS, Sectoral policies) Roles and et responsabilities of the Ministry of Senegalese abroard
Perspects&opportunities Diversify strategic alliances : Universities, NGOs, local authorities, community leaders Develop sud-sud migrations Joint-ventures and connect migrants to global economy : private sector Knocking at the mayor doors for maximising migration benefits and connecting the local and the global : migrations as brokers