LONG RUNNING CONFLICT IN SENEGAL

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Sant'Egidio Playing Vital Role in Effort to End 30-Year Conflict in Senegal
Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations
November 25, 2014

The insurgency in Senegal’s Casamance region is one of the longest-running conflicts in the world—and one of the least known. It began 32 years ago when the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) demanded that the area be granted independence. Geography is a critical factor in this standoff. Casamance is the southern-most portion of Senegal, but another country, The Gambia, runs east-to-west between the region and the northern areas of Senegal.

In January 2011 President M. Abdoulaye Wade stated his willingness to engage Sant'Egidio, a Catholic lay organization in Rome with experience in helping parties resolve conflicts

A few weeks later, the military wing of the MFDC agreed to participate. Little happened, however, until Macky Sall was elected president in 2012 and injected new energy into the quest for peace. “We saw an opportunity for the State Department to promote peace,” said CSO’s Rebecca Wall, who proposed that her bureau send a senior official to provide diplomatic support and international partner coordination for the peace process.

That official was retired Ambassador James Bullington, who had 12 years of Africa experience in hot spots such as Chad and Burundi, a great respect for local leadership, and plenty of Chattanooga charm.

“We can’t bring peace to the Casamance,” Ambassador Bullington said in late 2012, after his arrival in Dakar. “Only the Senegalese can do that. But we can provide political and material support for the peace process.” To build on the momentum and to keep this issue on the embassy’s radar screen despite competing priorities, Ambassador Bullington coordinated with Embassy Dakar staff and other U.S. government agencies to ensure a focused, interagency approach. He began speaking regularly with the Government of Senegal and Sant’Egidio, while encouraging regional neighbors, especially The Gambia, to cooperate in the peace initiative. In late 2013, Sue Ford Patrick served as the U.S. Casamance advisor, and in 2014, the State Department’s Africa Bureau deployed Ambassador Mark Boulware to continue this role. The UN and other international partners also made important contributions.

Sant'Egidio contacted MFDC leader Salif Sadio, and high-level delegations from MFDC visited the Community of Sant'Egidio in Rome three times between January and July 2012 to prepare the negotiations. “Sant’Egidio understands that negotiations take a long time and that relationship-building is the key to the ultimate success of a peace process,” said CSO’s Wall, who helped secure U.S. government funds to enlist Sant’Egidio.

The first round of talks between representatives of the MFDC and the government of Senegal took place that October. Sant’Egidio asked Sadiò to release eight hostages as a humanitarian gesture and as an act to promote a favorable climate for negotiations. On December 9, in Casamance, Sadio delivered the prisoners to an international delegation. At about the same time a de facto ceasefire took hold, and it remains in effect.

“Interreligious and ecumenical dialogue between Christian and Muslim community leaders and the political leaders promoted and created a positive synergy that is favourable to reconciliation,” Sant’Egidio said on its website. Negotiations in Rome and Senegal continue, in hopes that before long this conflict can be considered at an end.

U.S. AND AFRICAN AIR FORCE MILITARY LEADERS WORKING TOGETHERR

Gen. Philip Breedlove speaks with Brig. Gen. Alain Pereira during a group discussion at the Regional Air Chief Conference in Dakar Senegal, Aug. 29, 2012. The conference focused on promoting regional partnerships in Northern and Western Africa and to help find African solutions to African problems. Breedlove is U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Force Africa commander and Pereira is the Senegal air chief. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Travis Edwards)

 
FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE
African air chiefs pledge cooperation, trust, solutions

by Staff Sgt. Travis Edwards
U.S. Air Forces Africa Public Affairs

8/31/2012 - DAKAR, Senegal (AFNS) -- The 2012 Regional Air Chief Conference wrapped up here Aug. 30, leaving military leaders from multiple North and Western African nations excited about progress and resolutions involving an increase in regional coordination.

One of the main points was, "The need to share information," said Ghana air force Air Cmdr. Philip Ayisa, the commander of Tamale air force base, Ghana. "African countries need to come together to decisively coordinate and face these challenges together."

The attending African nations communally agree that each country, individually, does not have the equipment, resources or air power necessary to combat all aspects of national defense. However, they accept that together it can be done.

"Participation and cooperation (amongst African countries) is key to the improvement of our capabilities, our personnel readiness and the multiple challenges and security challenges in the region," said Nigerian Air Marshall M.D. Umar, chief of the Nigerian air force.

On the opening day, the group discussed cross-regional issues (common threats and challenges) affecting all African nations in attendance.

"This discussion group reflects a sincere commitment to our collective efforts," said Maj. Gen. Carlton Everhart, the 3rd Air Force vice commander. "Capacity building has continued to be the focus of what we have done here this week and I think we've learned a lot from each other."

The second day focused on the use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and strategic airlift in Africa and how to properly enable the sharing and inter-cooperation of these assets within the affected African nations.

"ISR is more than just an aircraft, more than just sensors, it takes a considerable amount of manpower to put it together and placed in the right hands in a timely manner," said Col. Gordon Hendrickson, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Force Africa director of intelligence. "It's important for us to draw together these air chiefs from throughout Africa and help guide them into coming up with those solutions to many of the unique challenges that they face."

Strategic airlift capabilities in African countries are also limited due to the limited resources available.

"Strategic airlift remains a critical supporting capability that should be achieved, maintained and improved," said Nana Adu-Gyamfi a Ghana air force wing commander. "A systematic use of pulled and shared (strategic airlift) assets would reduce duplication, overhead and medium and long-term capabilities."

The last subject discussed was the use of air-ground integration where Lt. Col. Craig McCarty, 435th Air Ground Operations Group commander spoke about the capabilities close air support can bring to the fight.

"CAS is something that can help bring together the African armies and air forces to allow them to work more efficiently with each other," McCarty said. "In the long term, it will act as the baseline information for when each country starts cooperating and working together."

The conference ended as a resounding success as military leaders packed up and prepared to leave Senegal to bring home lessons learned, an understanding of the challenges affecting the region and possible solutions to those challenges.

At the end of the conference, Everhart had a few parting words for all the attendees.

"Thank you so much for this opportunity, it's an immense effort that we've put together here and I look forward to making great strides in progress for the benefit of these nations," said Everhart.