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Visit to Senegal interview given by M. Nicolas SARKOZY, President of the Republic, to the senegalese newspaper "Le Soleil" - excerpts -

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Dakar, 26 July 2007

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Q. – Recently, France set out the conditions for development assistance, which are, moreover, reminiscent of the "La Baule speech": organization of fair elections, respect for human rights, fight against corruption, public policies benefiting the people. Does Senegal fulfil these criteria?

THE PRESIDENT – It is indeed desirable for our development assistance, which is an investment in our common future, to be guided by rules guaranteeing the efficient and effective use of public money and all investment. There is a need to define a specific strategy, clearly set out reciprocal requirements, adopt the results culture and ensure accountability. This is the sense in which the criteria you mention are pertinent.

However, I'm wary of using the word "condition" which doesn't really reflect balanced partnership and mutual responsibility. Indeed, it often makes us think back to the requirements set by external parties which some people in Africa liken to interference.

On the contrary, I think these criteria have nothing to do with the outside world since they primarily reflect what the Africans expect from their governments.

Your reference to the La Baule speech (1) is a good example, since it's too often forgotten that that speech was preceded by Benin's national conference (2), which kicked off a demand for democracy which swept through the whole continent.

To answer your question: it's no coincidence that Senegal is the largest beneficiary of French development assistance in sub-Saharan Africa.

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ECONOMIC IMMIGRATION

Q. – The proportion of economic immigrants is going to rise from 7% to 50%, with, in particular, the "skills and talent" residence permit. Are fears of a high proportion of African workers being excluded in favour of those from within the European Union and former East European countries warranted?

THE PRESIDENT – No, there are no grounds for those fears. France is, in fact, very open to African immigration. Every year, out of 200,000 migrants entering France, around 65% come from the African continent.

This migration flow is today largely dominated by entries for family reasons. One of the new French immigration policy's objectives is to find a balance between immigrants coming to work and family immigration.

With Senegal, France has set in motion a model policy of concerted management of the migration flows, which took concrete form in the agreement I had the pleasure of signing here in Dakar last September, with M. Ousmane Ngom, during my last visit here as Interior Minister.

It's the first time that two countries have agreed in this way to manage migration flows together, not to dry them up, but to provide guidelines. The aim is to fight the brain drain and facilitate both "mobility migration" for skilled personnel and students wishing to study and train in France and provision of the best possible conditions for those who come to France for family reasons.

The Act of 24 July 2006 established the "skills and talents" permit and opened up the French labour market for the first time since 1974. The aim isn't to favour workers from specific regions, but to open up genuine prospects for professional development in the fields where the French labour market seeks skills. The role of the ANAEM (Agence nationale pour l'Accueil des Etrangers et les Migrations – National Agency for the Reception of Foreigners and Migration) office in Dakar will be precisely to help Senegalese workers to be better informed and take advantage of these new prospects for professional development.

As regards the European Union, France's European commitments provide for a special system of free movement and free access to the job market, as exists for ECOWAS nationals in Senegal. Aside from this exception, France doesn't intend favouring immigration from any part of the world over that of African nationals. (···)./.

(1) François Mitterrand's famous speech (June 1990) in which he said that the level of French development assistance would depend on a country's efforts towards democratization.

(2) National conference at which its several hundred participants from Benin's civil society, including members of opposition parties, voted themselves to be sovereign, and then subsequently rewrote the Constitution.

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