Argentina is not a common destination for African immigrants. But as Europe increasingly closed its doors in the 1990s, people from the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and above all Senegal started coming to Argentina, where it is relatively easy to get in — and to stay. There may be as many as 6,000 in Buenos Aires.

In one cheap hotel in downtown Buenos Aires live around 40 African immigrants, five or six to a room — precarious living conditions for these people in search of fortune.

“I know a little bit about Europe because I went to Italy, but they didn’t let me enter. I spent four days in Rome’s airport,” explains Pap Youssou, from Senegal, who left behind his family in Dakar.

“Here there’s no discrimination,” he says. “For sure there’s racism in any place, but not as much as in Europe.”

Another African immigrant, Babacar Diouf, says: “I came by plane, going through Brazil. There is peace here, much more peace.” Many African immigrants in the Argentinian capital say that there’s no discrimination based solely on skin colour, no systematic ID controls.

These men earn their living illegally, tirelessly walking the city and selling jewellery on the streets. It is a way to earn a little money and send up to 400 US dollars a month back home. Blessed with the gift of gab, these talkative immigrants have an easy time making contact with the locals.

“Argentina has a flexible immigration law,” explains Sergio Bertini, coordinator of the Association for Refugee Immigration in Argentina. “For example, after entering into the country, even while you’re still applying for residency, you can obtain an ID number in order to start working.”

In the few meeting places like mosques, people are sharing tips, sensations and, of course, commenting on the latest restrictive European immigration laws.

“They’ve closed off all access to Europe,” laments Moustapha Lo, a religious chief from the holy town of Touba, Senegal. “This policy of segregation really makes me sad. It hurts me.”

Only South Americans have easy access to Argentinian residency. But foreigners are taking advantage of a legal grey area in order to stay as long as possible.

While the Argentinian constitution affirms that “the state must promote European immigration,” the situation regarding foreigners from Africa is less clear.
 
“The first week I went to the immigration office,” says Abdoul Aziz M’Baye, who is seeking permanent residency in order help him secure a steady job as a pharmacist. “They gave me some paperwork, which I have to renew every month.”