As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance. Under the IMFʹs Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal will benefit from the eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private‐sector debt. Within the WAEMU region, Senegal is the second strongest economy. Senegal is urbanizing rapidly and this creates problems, particularly in Dakar. The capital is not able to absorb the influx of newcomers. Unemployment and underemployment are high. Urbanization also creates pressure on housing and infrastructure. High population growth in Senegal contributes to a very young (55% below 20 years) population and large household sizes, with an average size of 9.7 people per household. While these demographic pressures indicate a strong need for housing, because of the low household incomes, these needs do not translate into commercial demand for housing.