The bill on the Convention on Assistance to Detained Persons and the Transfer of Sentenced Persons between Morocco and Senegal has reached a decisive milestone. Adopted on March 3, 2025 by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senegalese National Assembly, it will be submitted for final adoption in plenary on March 11, 2025. Examined by the Council of Ministers on January 22, 2025, this text, which is based on a convention signed on December 17, 2004 in Rabat, will then be ratified by the President of the Republic and published in the Official Journal. According to the government information office, this cooperation aims to facilitate the repatriation of prisoners to serve their sentences in their country of origin, thus strengthening the historical ties between the two nations.

299 Senegalese behind bars in Morocco: Who are they?

Currently, 299 Senegalese are incarcerated in Moroccan prisons. Among them, 160 are under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Senegal in Dakhla, including 93 in Laayoune, 49 in Bouizakarne and 18 in Tan-Tan. The other 139 are under the jurisdiction of the Consulate in Casablanca, covering the rest of the territory. The grounds for conviction are varied: illegal immigration, drug trafficking and consumption, criminal association, crimes, use of counterfeit banknotes, fraud and swindling dominate the list.

Of this total, 38 detainees expressed their desire to be transferred to Senegal. Their requests are distributed as follows: 13 in Bouizakarne, 11 in Laayoune, 3 in Ait Melloul (Agadir), 3 in Nador, 2 in Tan-Tan, 2 in Kenitra, 2 in Es-Smara, 1 in Safi Central and 1 in Khouribga. It should be noted that 10 of them are serving heavy sentences, ranging from 3 to 25 years.

Mass returns: 1,115 repatriates in 2024, 180 in 2025

The repatriation of Senegalese from Morocco is a growing phenomenon. In 2024, out of 3,004 returns recorded, 1,115 migrants (37.16%) came from Morocco. In 2025, this flow remains predominant: out of 184 repatriates to date, 180 come from the Cherifian kingdom, or 97.8%. These figures reflect the scale of migratory movements between the two countries.

200,000 Senegalese in Morocco: A growing diaspora

The Senegalese community in Morocco, estimated at 200,000 people, mainly settles in the big cities: Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Meknes, Marrakech, Agadir and Kenitra. If Morocco attracts with its economic opportunities – catering, sports, agriculture, domestic services or street trading – it also remains a stopover for irregular migrants on their way to Spain. Pilgrims, traders and students rub shoulders with a growing population of precarious workers, living from small jobs while waiting for a sea crossing.

Morocco-Senegal: Strengthened cooperation in the face of migration challenges

The ratification of this convention illustrates the strength of bilateral relations between Senegal and Morocco. Beyond the management of prisoners, it reflects a common desire to respond to migration and judicial issues. A strategic crossroads, Morocco is both a welcoming land and a transit point for Senegalese people, making this collaboration an essential pillar of exchanges between the two countries.