THURSDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2025
DAY 1
09:00 – 09:30 Reception, registration, and distribution of materials
09:30 Opening
10:00 – 11:00 Opening Panel
• Moderator : Lucas A. Pérez Martín, Professor of Private International Law at ULPGC
• Hans Van Loon, Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Edinburgh; Secretary General of the Hague Conference from 1996 to 2013 “Presentation: International cooperation to regulate (circular) migration: Can private international law serve as a source of inspiration?”
• Sara Bortoletti. Responsable de Políticas de la Comisión Europea, Dirección General de Migración y Asuntos de Interior, Vías Legales e Integración.
11:00 – 11:30 COFFEE BREAK
11:30 – 13:30 SESSION 1 Legal and Social Framework of Labor Migration in Europe and Africa
The aim of this session is to deal with migratory flows and the regulations of labour and circular migration, both in the context of the European Union and bordering countries, with special reference to the Spanish cases and those of the countries in the project's cooperation area. In addition to knowing the political, social and institutional contexts of labour migration between Europe and African countries.
• Moderator: Carmen Grau Pineda, Professor of Labour Law at ULPGC Presentations.
• Presentations.
• Fabrizio Marongui. Professor of Private International Law at the University of Macerata “El marco legislativo europeo de la migración laboral regular con el norte de África: avances, retos y perspectivas”
• Aurelia Álvarez Rodríguez, Professor of Private International Law at the University of León.“Spanish legislative framework for regular labour migration from Africa”.”
• Djibril Mbaye. Professor at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. "Rethink the legal and social framework of circular migration between Senegal and Spain”
• Communications.
• Vladimir Eneraldo Núñez Herrera, Assistant Professor of Private International Law at the University of La Laguna ”Spanish regulation of circular migration: normative analysis and its use as a practical tool for managing labour flows”
• Waldimeiry Correa da Silva, Full Professor of Public International Law at the University of Seville “An intersectional and interdisciplinary perspective on Circular Labour Migration: Analysis of the Spanish case”
• Antonio Quirós Fons, Full Professor of Public International Law at the European University of Valencia, Honorary Consul of Croatia for the Valencian Community and the Region of Murcia “The new EU Blue Card in the current international context: an opportunity to attract global talent”
• Discussion.
14:00 – 16:00 LUNCH
16:00 – 18:00 SESSION 2 Current Context of Migratory and Labor Routes between Mauritania, Gambia, Senegal, and the Canary Islands
This session will address the migratory routes and flows to the Canary Islands from Gambia, Mauritania and Senegal, contemplating their current characteristics, with emphasis on their historical and socio-economic aspects. It will also analyse the institutional, political, social, institutional collaboration and civil society contexts of labour migration between these territories and the experiences developed, analysing successes and mistakes, as well as the keys to the possible future management of circular labour migration.
• Moderator: Almudena Naranjo Hernández, Government of the Canary Islands
• Presentations.
• Josefina Domínguez Mújica, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria “Demographic profiles and hidden realities of migration between the Canary Islands, Senegal, Mauritania, and Gambia”
• Ana María López Sala, Researcher at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) “Evolution and future prospects of North African migration to Europe: Analysis of an underutilised potential”
• Daniel Buraschi, Professor at the Faculty of Education, University of La LagunaAfrican migrants in the Canary Islands and labour discrimination: the experience of “differential inclusion”
• Communications.
• Abdoulaye Ngom, Lecturer and Researcher, Sociologist, Assane Seck University of Ziguinchor (Senegal) “A typical example of a policy to prevent irregular migration: circular migration between Senegal and Spain”
• Sebastián Eustaquio Martín Pérez, PhD candidate in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of La Laguna Isidro Miguel Martín Pérez, PhD candidate in Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of La Laguna “Sociodemographic profile of unaccompanied migrant adolescents with indeterminate age in the Canary Islands: empirical analysis and challenges for institutional protection”
• Mercedes Ángeles Rodríguez Rodríguez, Associate Professor of Geography, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Josefina Domínguez Mújica, Professor of Human Geography, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria “Migration of university students from West Africa for professional specialisation purposes”
• Discussion.
18:00 – 18:30 Moderator: Nasara Cabrera Abu, Professor of Sociology at ULPGC
INTERREG MAC 21–27, COMPASS–SEIMLAB, Cross-cutting Experiences: African countries receiving migration, the case of Cape Verde
• Angela Lisboa Ramos Valentim, Coordinator of the Department of Studies, Projects, Cooperation and International Relations at the High Authority for Immigration of Cape Verde
• Clementina Furtado, PhD in Political and Social Sciences, Assistant Professor in the GOT FCT programme at the University of Cape Verde
• Discussion.
18:30 End of the day.
FRIDAY, 31 OCTOBER 2025
DAY 2
09:00 – 11:00 SESSION 3. Labour opportunities and needs for circular migration
The third session aims to provide an overview of the labour market in the territories of the cooperation space, with an emphasis on shared needs, especially with regard to training. It also seeks to explore the labour opportunities and needs of the public and private sectors; the opportunity environments for bilateral circular migration; the legal context in the field of training; as well as to identify good training practices for successful circular migration, considering both the socio-training and legal context of training opportunities.
• Moderator: Carmen González Hernández, COMPASS Coordinator, Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria
• Presentations.
• Luis Padilla Macabeo. Director General for Relations with Africa, Government of the Canary Islands. “ Training experiences on both shores: Educational initiatives for fair and sustainable labour migration”
• Mouhamadou Lamine Bara Lo, Director General of the National Office for Vocational Training of Senegal (ONFP)“Training needs of the Senegalese population in the context of labour migration routes between Mauritania and the Canary Islands”
• Abdel Fettah. Director General of the National Employment Agency of Mauritania (TECHGHIL)“Training and labour migration: Current and future training needs of Mauritanian and Gambian professionals”
• Communications.
• Luis Miguel Ramírez Ramos, Professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria“Training needs for circular migration”
• María Carmen Parra Rodríguez, Full Professor of Private International Law at Abat Oliba CEU University“Circular migration as a strategy for women’s empowerment and tourism development in Gambia”
• David Melian Castellano. PhD candidate in Legal and Social Sciences at ULPGC “Unaccompanied children and adolescents on the Canary migration route: Training challenges for employment opportunities in regular, orderly, and safe migration”
• Discussion.
11:00 – 11:30 COFFEE BREAK
11:30 – 13:30 SESSION 4. Migration narratives on regular circular migration on both sides of the border
The fourth session deals with the different existing narratives on labour and non-labour migration, both from the sending and receiving territories, specifically from the Canary Islands and European perspective. It also seeks to talk about the narratives of the construction of useful training itineraries on both shores and those linked to the significant training of migrants. We are also looking for themes that raise the combination of need, opportunity and expectations of circular migration; as well as other models of narrative construction, positive narratives, good practices; as well as data, realities, hoaxes and manipulations in migratory narratives.
• Moderator: Ángeles Jurado, Head of Culture and Education at Casa África
• Presentations.
• Aminetou Bilal. Head of Missions at the Cabinet of the Minister of Vocational Training, Handicrafts and Trades, Government of Mauritania. “Vocational training in Mauritania: opportunities, gaps, and prospects.”
• Odome Angone, Researcher and lecturer at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, specialist in Hispanic studies “Building rights-respecting narratives from both shores: Reality and myth in migration”
• Lang Sangyang, Gambian lecturer “Training needs of the Gambian population and circular migration narratives”
• Communications.
• Marina Díaz Peralta & Gracia Piñero Piñero, Spanish language lecturers at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria “Circular migration in the media of the Canary Islands: A narrative of solidarity or xenophobia?”
• Alessandro Indelicato, Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria “Polarised narratives on migration: A perspective from Africa towards the Canary Islands”
• Carmelo Faleh Pérez, Professor of Public International Law at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria “The international obligation to combat disinformation that incites hatred against migrants and disrupts social peace in host countries”
• Discussion.
13:30 – 14:00 Closing Session of the Congress.
14:30 – 17:00 Closing Lunch of the Congress at the Santa Catalina Hotel.
Deadline and submission of proposals:
Proposals may be submitted from 25 June to 21 July 2025 (inclusive).
In order to be able to send papers, it will be necessary to register for the conference on the conference website.
Material content and evaluation:
The Scientific Committee will evaluate the proposals according to the following criteria:
1. Relevance and timeliness in relation to the overall project theme.
2. Relevance of the chosen topic to the theme of the session.
3. Quality of the approach developed in the proposal.
4. Originality of the proposal.
The Scientific Committee will select three paper proposals for oral presentation. A maximum of three alternate proposals will also be selected for oral presentation per Session. A decision on this matter will be taken by the Scientific Committee by 28 July 2025 at the latest by e-mail (please make sure to enter a valid e-mail address) and will be communicated:
a) The selection of the proposal to be presented orally at the Conference.
b) The selection of the proposal without oral presentation and as an alternate. These alternate papers will be able to participate with their work in the final publication of the Congress.
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