Dakar – The International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Deputy Director General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels, used her first official visit to Senegal this week to reiterate the Organization’s commitment to help its national and regional partners address their “complex and interconnected challenges related to displacement, climate change and development.”

“IOM is committed to working closely with our partners in Senegal and in the region to address these challenges and promote safe, orderly, and regular migration,” she said at the conclusion of her four-day visit. “To meet this goal, it is of foremost importance to adopt a 360-degree approach across the migration journey.”

“We must address the root causes of displacement and migration, including conflict and climate change, through comprehensive and coordinated approaches that involve all stakeholders in an effort to bring sustainable solutions for migrants.”

DDG Daniels met Prime Minister Amadou Ba, the Secretary General Secretary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mame Baba Cissé, and the Minister for Water and Sanitation, Mr. Serigne Mbaye Thiam to discuss Senegal’s forthcoming national migration policy. IOM pledged its support to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Prime Minister to convene all actors to update the document and to submit it to the Prime Minister within a short delay.

A Global Compact of Migration champion country, Senegal has a significant role to play in international discussions on transversal topics embraced by migration. The National Migration policy will support the government and partners as well as donors to join efforts and resources, ensuring a multisectoral approach, with its linkages with climate change, and the potential for socio-economic growth in the country by maximizing partnership with diaspora.

“Migration is an accelerator for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) given the high impact of remittances which goes beyond the traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA)” DDG Daniels said.

“In 2022, the West and Central Africa region received a combined USD 34 billion in remittances, with Senegal among the top 10 receiving countries in Africa. Moving forward, we will need an increasing partnership with Banks, diaspora, UN organizations, the international community, and local partners to advance development outcomes and find win-win solutions.”

She also discussed the interlinkage between climate change and migration, citing the World Bank’s 2021 Groundswell Report, which predicts that by 2050, up to 32 million people in West Africa could become displaced inside their own countries as a result of the slow onset of climate change. More so, Senegal could see up to one million persons displaced, or the equivalent of 3.3 percent of the population.

“Investing in prevention, early warning, mitigation and adaptation programming for those who will have no choice to leave is an investment for the future.”

During her stay, DDG Daniels also joined a panel with Mr. Mar Dieye, Special Coordinator for the Development in the Sahel, Ms. Giovanie Biha, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mr. Njoya Tikum, Resident Representative a.i at UNDP Senegal & Manager, Regional Office for West & Central Africa, and Ms. Millicent Mutuli, Regional Director of UNHCR Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa, to exchange views on the positioning of human mobility in the framework of UN reform and other UN strategies. They also discussed the need for a ONE UN approach to address the challenges of migration in the region.

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For more information, please contact:

Valeria Falaschi, Chief of Mission a.i. & Project Manager, IOM Senegal, vfalaschi@iom.int

Joëlle Furrer, Regional Media and Communications Lead for WCA jfurrer@iom.int