New trends were emerging, characterised by the growing diversity of regions of emigration and immigration and the emergence of transit countries, and the beginning of emigration from the Senegal groundnut basin, heralding the growth of the Mouride diaspora,21 and the emigration of natives from the major urban centres. Dakar thus became the foremost region for Senegalese emigration, overtaking the Senegal River basin, the traditional region for emigration towards Africa and Europe (Robin, Lalou and Ndiaye, 1999). Climatic and chronic agricultural crises, spreading into urban areas by a growing rural exodus, were succeeded by long-term economic and social crises that led to political conflicts on a regional scale. From 1973-74, the western European countries decided to halt all forms of immigration of workers.