Senegal, the Red Cross plan for the migration emergency

By Cristiano Antonino On Oct 19, 2022

The project ‘Supporting the Senegalese Red Cross Emergency Plan for Migration’ starts in the town of Rosso-Senegal, a few kilometres from the border between Senegal and Mauritania

Red Cross migration project in Senegal

Lasting initially one year, thanks to funding from the Italian Red Cross, the project aims to support the activities of its Senegalese sister organisation in assisting migrants, including through the establishment of Humanitarian Service Points (Point de Service Humanitaire PSH) that can offer essential services such as counselling, psychological accompaniment, basic assistance, guidance and support on legal and protection issues.

In addition to the CRI representatives of the West Africa and Sahel Delegation, the project launching ceremony was also attended by the Presidents of the Senegal Red Cross and Mauritanian Red Crescent, an IFRC representative, the President and volunteers of the local committee of Rosso and the Senegalese local authorities.

The first activity of the project, related to training on migration issues for 30 volunteers of the Rosso committee, was also concluded on this occasion.

“The migratory flow in West Africa is still a very complex issue that requires understanding and support from the members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement,” explained the CRI Delegate for West Africa and Sahel.

“The people rescued, repatriated or intercepted on both sides of the Senegal-Mauritania border constitute an urgent case for protection and humanitarian support, as they need all kinds of basic services.

The Italian Red Cross, the delegate added, is very committed to the region and is happy to be alongside the Senegalese Red Cross in supporting migrants in transit in the town of Rosso-Senegal.”

The project specifically envisages capacity building for staff and volunteers of the Rosso local committee on assistance and protection, integration and reintegration of people in transit into the community, and management of emergency migration situations.

In addition, it aims to facilitate coordination mechanisms between partners engaged in the area, thus strengthening policies for effective management to and from neighbouring countries.

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About 1,000 migrants, in transit and returning, and 50 staff and volunteers of the sister organisation in Senegal will benefit

These will be joined by approximately 2,000 people from local host communities, authorities, and civil society organisations.

The support of the Italian Red Cross stems from the need of the Senegal Red Cross to activate 35 Humanitarian Service Points in the border areas (to date only 7 are active), which are one of the pillars of the Red Cross Emergency Plan for Migration in the country.

This collaboration between the CRI and its Senegalese sister organisation is part of a broader initiative concerning the elaboration, development and strengthening of migration and humanitarian emergency preparedness strategies of the National Societies of West Africa and Sahel, in line with the directives of the International Federation.

Indeed, the overall picture of the analysis of regional migratory flows shows that Senegal has become both a country of departure as well as a country of transit and return for many people coming from West Africa and attempting the Atlantic route.

In particular, there has been a sharp increase in the flow of people in transit in need of humanitarian assistance in the northern part of Senegal since the second half of 2021.

The ‘Support to the Senegalese Red Cross Emergency Plan for Migration’ project is therefore an important aid for Red-Senegal, one of the most exposed and vulnerable places in terms of migrant transit flows, as it lacks adequate infrastructure and mechanisms that can cope with the required humanitarian assistance.