The European Parliament's Human Rights, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) has investigated the fraud of European Union funds in Senegal after a joint investigation by Al Jazeera and Polkausa Foundation revealed how EU-funded crosses were being used. It called on the European Commission to launch an investigation into the controls. – Border crime squads were used to suppress pro-democracy protests in the West African country.
On March 25, LIBE Chairman Juan Fernando López Aguilar sent a letter to Ylva Johansson, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, and Juta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships. I asked him to make an effort.” It said the allegations were “investigated and full clarification has been given regarding the use of EU funds”.
Aguilar told Al Jazeera and Polcausa that there was broad consensus among the parliamentary committees to call for this investigation, adding: “Migration is an important issue for the EU.”
The joint investigation, announced in February, focused on the Rapid Action Surveillance and Intervention Group, known as GAR-SI, which received €74 million ($81.3 million) from the EU Africa Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF). This project was funded and implemented by the Spanish government. From 2017 he was appointed to the development agency FIIAPP until 2023.
The stated goal of the project was to create and equip special intervention units in the Mali-Senegal border area to combat armed groups, smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational crimes.
However, the investigation found visual evidence that GAR-SI forces were used to repress demonstrators during demonstrations in Senegal between 2021 and 2023 by then-President Macky Sall's government. , Spanish government contracts, confidential evaluation reports and three sources close to the project were discovered.
Amnesty International estimates that at least 60 people were killed during the protests. No one has been charged to date.
Political instability also coincided with a significant surge in immigration to Spain.
“The repression has forced many young people to migrate to the Canary Islands, the most dangerous migration route,” Aguilar said, adding that instability and repression are influencing migration peaks.
“During the protests, Senegalese police relaxed border controls and focused on suppressing the demonstrations,” he added.
Migration and security relationship
Evidence from the investigation will also be debated in Spain's parliament in March, when MP Inés Granolles will investigate whether to halt the supply of counterinsurgency materials to Senegal authorized in 2023, as well as the alleged misuse of EU funds. I asked the government if this is the case.
Another MP, John Iñárritu, also asked whether the government intended to assess the human rights impact of the security equipment it sent to Senegal and other partner countries.
Amnesty International also called on the Spanish government to launch an independent investigation into the illegal use of goods exported from Spain to Senegal.
Rights groups recommended that the government revoke licenses if equipment is found to have been misused and not allow new transfers until the authorities responsible for human rights abuses in Senegal are investigated and prosecuted.
The EUTF financial instrument funded projects in 26 African countries from 2015 to 2022 with the aim of “addressing the root causes of migration”.
This is seen as an attempt by EU technocrats to restrict movement to Europe at all costs, and is cited as a lack of human rights impact assessments, accountability mechanisms and transparency by civil society organizations and NGOs. has come under intense scrutiny from experts.
Léonie Jeguen, an academic at the University of Amsterdam who investigated EU funding in Senegal, said the case showed “the risks associated with building migration management capacity”.
“This is an ironic reminder of the potential for violence and repression inherent in immigrant capacity-building programs that sit at the nexus of migration and security.”
Senegal elected Bashir Diomaie Fay as its new president last month. He has campaigned on promising a review of external contracts and relations with the EU and other countries, but has not said whether this will include EU-funded development and migration projects.
The parliamentary period in Brussels is coming to an end this week, and EU parliamentary elections are scheduled to begin on June 6, so any action by the LIBE Committee on this issue will likely take place after new members have been elected in June. That's going to happen.
Al Jazeera and Polcausa contacted the European Commission, FIIAPP, and the interior and foreign ministries of Spain and Senegal for comment, but did not receive a response before publication.
The European Commission has previously distanced itself from the Senegalese government's use of GAR-SI to suppress protests.
“The EU has consistently called on the Senegalese authorities to investigate the use of unjustified force against peaceful demonstrations and looks forward to an appropriate follow-up,” he told Al Jazeera earlier. The EU spokesperson also said that the GAR-SI framework is “very specific and well-defined in its scope and interventions,” adding that equipment and funding for it will “fight organized crime and strengthen the protection of citizens.” It should be used in cross-border areas for this purpose.” Local residents.”
At the time, Spain's foreign and interior ministries also denied any involvement of elite forces in the Senegalese government's response to the protests.