EN 
NL 'La mobilité, c'est le Sénégal': the context of migration in Senegal
Senegal is a country of migration. According to the World Bank, 10% of the GDP of the country consists of remittances. Those are financial contributions, sent by Senegalese people living outside the country, which is 5% of the Senegalese population. Most of them live in Europe and African countries in the region. With such a large amount of the population living abroad, the question arises: what is the role of migration in Senegal? To understand this, we first need to understand a bit more about the context of migration in Senegal, and in the broader region of 'sub-Saharan Africa'.
Political protests and migration: is there a link?
A surprise move in Algeria two weeks ago. On Monday 11 March, 82-year-old president Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced that he would not seek a fifth term. At the same time, he cancelled the elections which would take place on 18 April. Citizens in Algeria have protested his candidacy since February. Bouteflika is rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. Some commentators link the recent protests in Algeria with the Arab Spring protests of 2011. It is not surprising then, that there exists fear of increasing numbers of Algerian migrants wanting to flee towards Europe.
Arab influence as the price of peace in the Horn of Africa?
In September 2018, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki signed a declaration of peace and friendship: a 'kiss of peace' between neighbouring countries that until recently were each other's arch-enemies. Celebrating witnesses included UN Secretary General António Guterres and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Western media mostly shouted "Hosanna!" about the rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, but who were really the architects of the rapprochement between the two arch-enemies?
Alfred Mozer and the Labour Party
This month saw the publication of the biography of Alfred Mozer, the first International Secretary of the Labour Party during the years 1946-1958:
'Alfred Mozer, German-Dutch-European, 1905-1979'.
Blinibioscope: Kremlin's Czech Friends
On 17 February 2019, the Blinibioscoop, in cooperation with the FMS, organised a film screening of the investigative documentary Kremlin's Czech Friends, directed by investigative journalist Olga Malchevska. The screening followed with a panel discussion with Olga Malchevska herself, Nicolaas Kraft van Ermel (Netherlands-Russia Centre, University of Groningen) and Tony van der Togt (Clingendael Institute). The main theme of the debate was propaganda and its impact on the public.
FMS workshops at Labour Party congress in Den Bosch
No better place than the Labour Party Congress on 19 January in Den Bosch - where the list and programme for the European elections were decided - to draw our attention to the EU's neighbours. Foundation Max van der Stoel therefore organised two workshops in Den Bosch on the security situation in Eastern Europe and on EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans. Bert Koenders, Jan Marinus Wiersma and Albanian Ambassador Adia Sakiqi were our guest speakers!
A project of connection
Interview with Amsterdam-Ethiopian journalist Kibret Mekonnen
We had coffee with journalist and documentary filmmaker Kibret Mekonnen, one of the workshop organisers of Africa Day 2019. Twenty years ago, he came from Ethiopia to the Netherlands. The conditions for practising journalism there had become unbearable. "A week before leaving for the Netherlands, I was still in prison," Kibret tells us in his office in Amsterdam.
Volunteers wanted for Africa Day 2019!
On 13 April, Africa Day 2019 will take place at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. As every year, there will be an extensive cultural programme and visitors will engage directly with politicians, professionals and each other in dozens of political debates, workshops and lectures. To top it off, the day will end with the "Africa at Night" afterparty. To make this day another great success, we need the help of enthusiastic volunteers. Every year, around a hundred volunteers help out. We will deploy you on different tasks, where you will always get a lot of the atmosphere of this day.
Kinshasa, a city of 12 million opportunities
With great ambition in my suitcases, I land in the capital Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Saturday 17 November 2018. A city of 12 million women, men and children. I will stay here until 30 December.
You can look at this city in two ways. You can say: 'it's a chaotic city where nothing works'. You can also look beyond that chaos and say: 'I see 12 million possibilities and opportunities here'. And the latter is my attitude.
Save the date: Africa Day 2019, 13 April @ KIT Amsterdam!
Preparations for Africa Day 2019 are once again in full swing! With migration as the main theme and a great line-up of interesting speakers (more later!), it promises to be another smashing edition.
We sincerely hope you will attend this edition! Ticket sales will start on Friday 1 March.
Would you and your organisation like to contribute to Africa Day 2019, for example by giving a workshop or providing a stand? Then email before 31 January to: info@afrikadag.nl.
See you on 13 April!
