• Senegal’s president to visit Spain March 24-26 at king’s invitation
• Talks expected on migration, security, and economic cooperation sectors
• Spain provides €27 million annual aid for agriculture, health, water

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will begin a three-day official visit to Spain on Tuesday, March 24, at the invitation of King Felipe VI. Details of the visit have not been made public, but at the last high-level meeting between Senegal and Spain, talks focused on agriculture, vocational and technical training, industrialization, digitalization and security.

Cooperation is expected to prioritize combating irregular migration, a key issue for both countries. Migratory flows from Senegal to Europe have increased in recent years. In 2023, nearly 12,833 migrants arrived in Spain, of whom 9,319 were identified as Senegalese nationals, according to official data.

The visit comes amid an intensification of diplomatic relations between Dakar and Madrid, highlighted by visits to Senegal by Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno in December 2023 and again in June 2024.

According to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spain provides development assistance to Senegal worth 27 million euros annually, focused on priority sectors such as agriculture, food access, health, and drinking water and sanitation.

Ingrid Haffiny