Senegal on Wednesday surprisingly refused to sign an agreement allowing the repatriation of illegal refugees extradited from Spain, REPORTED DPA. Tidiane Gadio, foreign minister of the West African state, told his Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos that Senegal will continue to take in its nationals extradited from Spain, but that the country prefers to sign the agreement at a later date. Spanish diplomats put the delay down to Senegalese presidential elections due in early 2007. The extradition of refugees from Spain has caused heated debate in Senegal, and President Abdoulaye Wade might fear to lose votes by signing a repatriation agreement, Spanish diplomats said. Spain has adopted the policy to grant more development aid to African states if they agree to take back illegal migrants. On Monday, Moratinos signed agreements with Gambia and Guinea, whereby Spain agreed to pay each country development aid amounting to five million euros (6.1 million dollars), and to forgive Guinea a debt of eight million euros. The Spanish foreign minister had hoped to reach a similar agreement with Dakar.
