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Senegal: Western Africa
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Senegal is one of the few African states that has never experienced a coup d’etat. Power was transferred peacefully, if not altogether democratically, from Leopold Sedar Senghor to Abdou Diouf in 1981, and once again, this time in fully democratic elections, from Diouf to Wade in March 2000. Senegal’s principal political party was for 40 years the Socialist Party (PS). Its domination of political life came to an end in March 2000, when Wade, the leader of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and leader of the opposition for more than 25 years, won the presidency. The Socialist Party ... dominated the National Assembly until April 2001, when in free and fair legislative elections, President Wade’s coalition won a majority (89 of 120 seats).
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As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal ... realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a mini-boom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, socioeconomic disparity, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction.
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For the Senegalese, political participation and peaceful leadership changes are not new. Even as a colony Senegal had representatives in the French parliament. And the promoter of African culture, Leopold Senghor, who became president at independence in 1960, voluntarily handed over power to Abdou Diouf in 1980.
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Senegal enjoys an excellent relationship with the United States. The Government of Senegal is known and respected for its able diplomats and has often supported the U.S. in the United Nations, including with troop contributions for peacekeeping activities. The United States maintains friendly relations with Senegal and provides considerable economic and technical assistance. About 300 Senegalese students come to the United States each year for study. President Diouf paid his first official visit to Washington, DC, in August 1983 and traveled several times to the U.S. thereafter. Senegal was President George W. Bush’s first stop in his July 2003 visit to Africa.
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Senegal has developed one of Africa’s most extensive and modern telecommunications infrastructures. Real liberalisation began in 1997 with the partial privatisation of the national operator Sonatel. The incumbent’s monopoly officially ended in 2004, and a second national operator (SNO) and third mobile operator may be licensed before the end of 2006. Mobile services were introduced in 1996 and competition in that sub-sector in 1999. Since the introduction of competition, the number of mobile subscribers has grown dramatically, with cellular lines now representing more than 85% of all telephone lines. Internet usage has doubled every year since 2003 when ADSL services were introduced.
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Senegal is located in western Africa. Senegal is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, The Gambia to the north, west, and south, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south.
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Western Africa