Abstract
Unaccompanied minors and youth migrants from Mauritania to France are almost never listed in French published statistics, even though the alarmist response of local Mauritanian organizations indicates that many are migrating. To understand this apparent contradiction, we analyze data from a qualitative study of 395 male minors (15–18 years old) and youths (above 18 years old) in three Mauritanian cities—Kaédi, Nouakchott, and Nouadhibou—to shed light on illegal youth migration. We find that powerful cultural and family dynamics encourage youth migration and that the migration of individual youths is approached as a project of families and not of the individuals alone. The article also highlights the impact of migration on Mauritanian society and recommends a new immigration policy for Europe.
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