Jean Sovon: Mauritania deports large flow of Sub-Saharan migrants

Hundreds of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa are being detained and deported from Mauritania. Some members of civil society in Mauritania believe this is the result of an agreement between Nouakchott and the European Union.

At the start of 2017, the European Union (EU) expressed its intention to block the migrants’ route, particularly for those coming from sub-Saharan Africa. In 2024, the EU estimated that 239,000 unauthorized migrants attempted to cross the region’s border — 38 percent fewer than in 2023.

Since then, Brussels has refined its migration policy by collaborating with transit countries used by these migrants — Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and more recently Mauritania, whose coast is used as a departure point.

In February 2024, Mauritania signed a migration partnership agreement with the EU, accompanied by a financial package worth EUR 210 million. The aim was to create a fund to combat migrant smuggling and manage irregular migration from the country.

Mauritania fulfilled its commitments. In February 2024, a large number of migrants were expelled from the country. According to Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine, Mauritania’s Home Secretary, and Info Migrants, 10,753 migrants were expelled, 14 percent more than in 2023.

Since late February 2025, sub-Saharan migrants in Mauritania have faced a new wave of mass expulsions, with the country’s authorities citing their illegal status. But does this imply that Mauritania has become Europe’s policeman? To explore this question, Global Voices interviewed Khally Diallo, a Mauritanian member of Parliament, via WhatsApp:

Jean Sovon: What is the rationale behind the expulsion of sub-Saharan migrants from your country?

Khally Diallo: Mauritania has recently benefited from major financial support — some EUR 210 million — from the European Union and Spain as part of efforts to combat illegal migration. This partnership can be understood as part of a wider strategy to curb migration flows from West Africa, since Mauritania has, over recent years, become a major crossing point for many migrants heading for Europe.

By signing this agreement, Mauritania agreed to step up its efforts to control migration. However, there are some obvious limitations to the enforcement of this policy. In practice, measures implemented on the ground often result in waves of arrests and deportations. These are often carried out in a targeted manner, raising questions about respect for human rights and the long-term effectiveness of this approach.

Jean Sovon: What nationalities do these operations target? Isn’t such a policy likely to spark tensions between Mauritania and its neighbours?

Khally Diallo: These ground operations do not explicitly target any specific nationalities. However, the repressive practices observed, though justified by the government as national security imperatives, reveal an occasionally uneven approach to managing migratory flows. They also appear out of step with the requirements of a broader policy approach that would be more humane, more sustainable, and grounded in an understanding of the deep-rooted causes of migration and an unconditional respect for the dignity of the individuals concerned.

These operations must be undertaken with great care and the utmost respect for human rights to avoid any confusion or excessively harsh treatment that could damage Mauritania’s image on the international stage, especially for the countries of origin of the migrants. Such perceptions could undermine previous efforts and provoke unnecessary diplomatic tensions.

“Mauritania is a preferred destination for many sub-Saharan migrants, not only as a departure point for Europe but also as an economic hub for some types of employment.”

In the migrants’ countries of origin, these deportations are difficult to accept. In Mali, the circumstances surrounding them have heightened tensions among the authorities. In Senegal, Guy Marius Sagna, a member of parliament, has taken up the issue and demanded a parliamentary enquiry.

I have received a great deal of information from the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. I hear about human rights violations and xenophobic campaigns targeting citizens from Senegal, Mali and other African countries. For some time now, I have been receiving reports of inhuman detentions and deportations.

Mauritania is a sovereign state and has the right to set its own rules, which Senegalese nationals who decide to go there must respect.

I intend to propose to Senegal’s Parliament the creation of a fact-finding mission to Mauritania so we may better understand the situation of our Senegalese nationals, ECOWAS‘s citizens, African nationals and migrants in general.

I will also question the government about the current situation of our Senegalese citizens in Mauritania.

Jean Sovon: What do human rights organisations make of this situation?

Khally Diallo: Human rights organizations, many civil society members and I, as an elected representative of the people, have reacted strongly to this situation. We firmly denounce the excesses observed during the control operations, especially the arbitrary arrests and detention conditions, as well as the deportations carried out without due legal process.

We call on the authorities to show greater restraint and discernment because the fight against illegal immigration does not justify violating fundamental rights. Mobilization intensified after several testimonials emerged on social media, revealing cases of police misconduct and blatant acts of abuse, sparking a wave of outrage.

There have also been worrying allegations of illegal practices, with some migrants reportedly forced to pay money to avoid being deported or to obtain an insecure immigration status. Should such abuses be confirmed, they would constitute an unacceptable exploitation of vulnerable individuals and undermine efforts to promote transparency and sound governance.

Jean Sovon: Are there any solutions to resolve this issue?

Khally Diallo: In a spirit of shared responsibility, I call on foreign citizens in Mauritania to comply with legal requirements regarding residency. They must regularize their status to ensure their personal safety but also to live with dignity and peace of mind in Mauritania. At the same time, this call for regularization must be matched by a genuine commitment from the Mauritanian authorities.

I think that access to residency permits must be improved through the establishment of well-defined, accessible, transparent and fair procedures. At present, it is evident that many foreigners face a real uphill battle to obtain these permits. Unfortunately, this complexity creates opportunities for various forms of fraud, administrative abuses and corruption at the expense of the most vulnerable. Therefore, the system for issuing residency permits must be thoroughly overhauled: to simplify the administrative processes, reduce processing time, fight illegal practices and establish welcome and assistance centers to support migrants through the process.

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Mauritania is a preferred destination for many sub-Saharan migrants, not only as a departure point for Europe but also as an economic hub for some types of employment. A study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the profile of migrants in Chami, a town in northwestern Mauritania, identifies the search for better living conditions as the primary reason behind the presence of thousands of sub-Saharan migrants. The report indicates that:

An analysis of the economic sectors employing migrants in the town of Chami reveals that artisanal gold mining is the most important, employing the most migrants (52 percent), particularly men who represent 97 percent of the workers in this sector.

Bearing this in mind, can Nouakchott afford to dispense with the sub-Saharan workforce?

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Maghrebi.org. Jean Sovon is Global Voices regional editor for French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa. He is a journalist specializing in human rights, a field to which he often contributes his expertise through research, analysis and the production of articles. A sociologist by training, he is also passionate about electoral issues, good governance, conflict prevention, peace and security, and international relations. Before joining Global Voices, Jean worked with several online media in Togo and the West African sub-region. This article was originally published by Global Voices.

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