A peace agreement between the Senegalese government and rebels from the Casamance province in the south of the country may put an end to a long-running conflict.
The Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) has vowed to give up their weapons and work toward a long-term resolution.
Macky Sall, the president of Senegal, praised the deal and hailed Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the leader of Guinea-Bissau, for serving as a mediator.
Since 1982, the MFDC has been engaged in a separatist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives. However, the conflict remained largely inactive until Senegal began a significant operation last year to expel the rebels.
It was supported by Guinea-Bissau President João Bernardo Vieira until he was overthrown in 1999. It relies mainly on the Jola people. Its armed wing was formed in 1985 and is called Atika.
Its leader was Father Augustin Diamacoune Senghor, who died on January 13, 2007. Senghor signed a peace agreement with the government of Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade in 2004.
However, several factions of the MFDC refused to participate in the peace deal and continued their fighting. This division has deeply divided Casamance’s independence movement.
Meanwhile, for the first time since its independence in 1960, Senegal’s ruling party has lost its absolute majority in Parliament.
Provisional results from Sunday’s vote showed President Macky Sall’s BBY won 82 out of 165 seats, one short of the 83 required for an absolute majority, while the alliance of opposition coalitions Yewwi Askane Wi (YAW) and the Wallu Senegal won 80.