“The Senegal-Valencia Region Migration Route and Its Impact on Origin and Destination” is the title of the study that has analyzed the main causes of the migration route between Senegal and the Valencia region. The Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), through the Vice Rectorate for Internationalization and Cooperation, highlights that economic motivation is the primary driver of migration, fueled by a critical disparity in indicators of living standards, health, and education between the two regions.

This research, led by Juana Aznar as principal investigator, is based on a preliminary analysis of Senegal’s socioeconomic context, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with migrants residing in the Valencian Community, with the aim of gaining firsthand insight into their individual experiences and realities.

“There are realities right on our doorstep that we know nothing about. Senegal is 100 kilometers from the Canary Islands—that’s nothing; this leads us to examine why those who arrive in the Canary Islands do so, and it’s important to analyze this,” Aznar emphasizes. The report reveals a staggering economic gap: in 2023, Senegal’s real GDP per capita was just 9.12% of Spain’s. Poverty indicators and data on basic services reveal alarming figures regarding quality of life. According to the Human Development Index (HDI), Senegal ranks 169th out of 193 countries, placing it in the low development category.