Senegal’s government and the pro-independence Casamance rebels in the southern part of the country have reached a “significant agreement” to achieve lasting peace in a region that has faced four decades of turmoil, as reported by broadcaster RTS on Monday.
Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko formalised the agreement during a trip to Bissau on Sunday, where he engaged with members of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) in discussions facilitated by Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo.
These discussions mark the first publicly known interactions between the separatists and the Senegalese administration elected in March last year.
Following three days of negotiations, both parties announced “an important agreement, which represents a significant advancement towards peace in Casamance,” according to RTS, citing Sonko.
Casamance, which is geographically separated from the majority of Senegal by the Gambia, has been the site of one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts since armed separatists initially retreated to the forests after an MFDC protest was suppressed in December 1982.
This conflict has resulted in thousands of casualties and has severely impacted the local economy; however, it has been on a notably reduced scale in recent years.
In light of recent developments, Senegalese authorities have initiated the resettlement of displaced individuals after declaring the dismantling of multiple rebel camps, including those along the Guinea-Bissau border.
The latest agreement was finalised in August 2022, taking place in Bissau between the Senegalese government and a rebel military leader, Cesar Atoute Badiate, with Guinea-Bissau acting as a mediator.
