According to Mr Lamine Bâ, Minister of foreign affairs and humanitarian at the office of President of the Republic, the return to Africa of Haitians after a massive earthquake that struck the country in January 2010 is a humanitarian and history act. "After the earthquake in Haiti, the President of the Republic Abdoulaye Wade has launched of a great historical significance. He thus tightened the hand with all the Haitians who wish to return to Africa."

"When President Wade reminded them that the land of their ancestors is Africa [...] lot of [Haitian] spoke about return, but nobody offered the opportunity to return. Only President Wade has done [...] Haitians have realized they could return home. Thousands of people have expressed a desire to come to Senegal. It belongs to us to materialize this idea. A national committee for the reception of Haitians has been established. Senegal is a country that has no deep pockets, but we have heart."

Referring to the Haitian students who will arrive in Senegal on October 10, 2010, the minister said "we have collected 2.058 of student records (files), and have screened 350 students able to learn in our universities. We finally selected 160 students who will be accommodated in the universities of Senegal during the academic year "Most students want to study agronomy, Haiti is an agricultural country, others wish to enroll in medicine, because they feel there is much to do in health in Haiti. "The records (files) of 1.898 Haitian students who have not found a place in our universities" will be sent to other countries in Africa.

Voices rise in the population criticizing the Senegalese government which should initially think of the Senegaleses in distress before tightening the hand with others. In answer, the minister declared "We think every day to our countrymen who are in difficult situations, the state takes care of Senegalese who are in distress, but this does not prevent the State from Senegal to exercise its international missions [...] The kingly missions of a State exceed the national borders".

S/ HaitiLibre