- Title: MAURITANIA: 40 Mauritanians to work in Spain under migration agreement
- Date: 6th June 2008
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VICE PRESIDENT, UNIO DE PAGESOS, JOAN JOSEP VERGE, SAYING: "If we don't make an effort to find a compromise with an experiment of this nature with the Sub-Saharan countries, the problem of illegal immigration will never stop. We have to try and break free from this flawed thinking, knowing that it's the first experiment and that the immigrants we rece
- Embargoed: 21st June 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Mauritania
- Country: Mauritania
- Topics: International Relations,Employment
- Reuters ID: LVA7N2RPCY5KHTLO37ZVFKHRRO8F
- Story Text: In a bid to control migratory flows between Mauritania and Spain, a group of 40 Mauritanians have been selected to work in Spain for three months.
These 40 workers were selected out of more than 1,500 people who applied to be given a chance to work in the Catalan region of northern Spain, where they are to spend three months working the fields.
Following an agreement between Mauritania and Spain which aims to control the migration flows between the two countries, Spanish businessmen came to Mauritania where they selected the workers to take part in the project.
Tens of thousands of young people set out from West Africa each year in the hope of finding work and better lives in Europe, many coming ashore on Spain's Canary Islands after treacherous voyages.
Spain has signed a series of aid agreements with West African countries, hoping to fight poverty and help control the flow of departing migrants.
These 40 workers were selected by delegates from the 'Unio de Pagesos,' the Catalan agriculture trade union charged with making the final selection.
"Forty contracts are too few, it's insignificant," said Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh, the director of the training department at the Mauritanian Ministry of Labour. He added: "It's true, but I understand the issues our Spanish colleagues have, because it is the first test. I think that the number of people is not the most important thing. The main thing is that this operation is a success."
'Unio de Pagesos' is involved in development projects that aim to help poor countries control their immigration rate. The organisation employs 6,000 workers in the Spanish agricultural sector each year, choosing from workers in countries as varied as Colombia, Romania, Senegal and now from Mauritania.
"If we don't make an effort to find a compromise with an experiment of this nature with the Sub-Saharan countries, the problem of illegal immigration will never stop," said Joan Josep Verge, the vice president of the trade union.
The workers were chosen on the condition that they had to have lived in an agricultural area, have a diploma in agriculture, and be familiar with agriculture methods. Although their initial contract is for three months, the possibility is there to extend the contract, should they be able to find continuous work in the country.
In the mainly desert land of Mauritania, these skills are hard to come by.
Thirty one year old Yaya Barry comes from Bogué, a village in southern Mauritania, close to the Senegal River, a fertile agricultural area. His mother died when he was young and he was adopted by his aunt.
Barry has a technical diploma in agronomy and hopes that this experience will help him improve his skills.
Although his aunt will miss him, she knows that the six-month contract is a good opportunity for her nephew.
Barry's brother, Idriss Fall, feels the same: "I get up every day to look for a job. But that doesn't work. It gives me hope to see Yaya go abroad. Maybe I will also have this chance," he said.
Barry is to leave for Spain in July, after a short training programme organised in Nouakchott. He will be earning around 800 euros per month, a far better salary than he would be able to earn in Mauritania.
However, the Spanish trainers warn this is not easy money.
Spain has signed similar agreements with other West African countries in an effort to stem migration. Seven hundred Senegalese went to Spain in 2007 to work as fishermen. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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