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Rabat – Senegalese Consul General in Dakhla, Babou Sene, has formally denied claims circulating on social media and reported by some media outlets that Senegalese migrants attempting irregular migration are stranded in the Moroccan desert.
“This is baseless information that I categorically deny,” Sene declared in a statement to Moroccan news agency MAP on Friday, stressing that “the Senegalese authorities are aware of the prevalence of misinformation on social media.”
Senegalese migrants attempting irregular migration, who are typically rescued by the Royal Moroccan Navy, “are always housed in reception centers in Dakhla, not desert tents,” he reassured.
Senegal’s Consulate General in Dakhla receives immediate notification from Moroccan authorities when a boat is intercepted by the Navy, Sene explained. A team is then dispatched to assess the living conditions of the migrants.
“Senegalese people are treated with great hospitality in Morocco,” he emphasized.
The diplomat commended the efforts of Moroccan authorities in providing “decent conditions” for migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, including Senegal.
He noted that, in 2023 alone, over 300 Senegalese citizens received medical care at the Dakhla hospital for periods ranging from 3 days to 2 months, entirely at the Moroccan government’s expense.
Sene further praised the reception and living conditions for Senegalese nationals residing in Morocco. He highlighted the presence of thousands of his compatriots living in the kingdom with valid residency permits and proper employment opportunities.
Underscoring the depth of longstanding Moroccan-Senegalese relations, King Mohammed VI was the only non-West African head of state invited to President Diomaye Faye’s recent inauguration.
Senegal’s unwavering support for Morocco’s territorial integrity in Western Sahara, including the symbolic act of opening consulates in Morocco’s southern provinces, further underscores this exceptional relationship.
