In a written question addressed to the Minister of the Interior, the deputy Papa Tahirou Sarr alerts the worrying magnitude that begging in Dakar, in particular that exercised by foreign nationals. He castigates a situation which has become, in his words, “untenable”, marked by an uncontrolled occupation of public space by beggars, notably “from Mali, Guinea and Niger”.
In this document dated May 5, 2025, the elected official recalls that the Senegalese law, via article 245 of the penal code, formally prohibits begging on the public highway, outside the religious context. A prohibition which, in his eyes, is openly flouted in an almost gender indifference. “” The offenders operate with an open face, with impunity He protests.
In addition, Papa Tahirou Sarr highlights the paradoxical attitude of certain countries of origin. He quotes as an example Niger, which strictly prohibits this practice on its territory while closing its eyes – even tolerating – its proliferation abroad. A posture that the deputy considers unacceptable for a sovereign state. He sees it as a questioning of “ Territorial and legal sovereignty From Senegal.
In this perspective, he calls on the government to react firmly. It proposes the establishment of rigorous mechanisms of control, identification and, if necessary, to renew the border of foreign beggars in an irregular situation.
In his letter, the deputy directly challenges the Minister of the Interior through a series of questions:
Why are the clear provisions of the penal code prohibiting begging on the public roads not applied, even though the offenders operate with an open face, daily, and with impunity in the streets of Dakar?
What measures does the government intend to take to effectively control the conditions of entry and stay of foreign nationals practicing begging in our country, particularly those coming from Niger, whose state nevertheless prohibits this practice on its own national territory?
Is there a national strategy for combating imported and organized begging, and if so, what are the modalities of concrete application?
Does the ministry intend to implement a policy of identification, control and, if necessary, to renew the borders of foreign beggars in an irregular situation or in manifest violation of our laws?
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