{"id":44650,"date":"2025-02-27T17:50:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T22:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/senegal-has-signed-a-deal-with-separatist-rebels-but-will-it-end-one-of-africas-longest-conflicts\/27\/02\/2025\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T17:50:43","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T22:50:43","slug":"senegal-has-signed-a-deal-with-separatist-rebels-but-will-it-end-one-of-africas-longest-conflicts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/senegal-has-signed-a-deal-with-separatist-rebels-but-will-it-end-one-of-africas-longest-conflicts\/27\/02\/2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Senegal has signed a deal with separatist rebels. But will it end one of Africa’s longest conflicts?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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DAKAR, Senegal (AP) \u2014 A new peace deal between Senegal and a separatist rebel group<\/a> in the country\u2019s southern region has been touted by the government as a key step in ending one of Africa\u2019s longest conflicts. Analysts, however, say it did not involve all the rebels and fails to address the root causes of the conflict.<\/p>\n

The deal, signed by the government and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance, or MDFC rebel group, was announced by Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko<\/a> during a visit to neighboring Guinea-Bissau on Monday.<\/p>\n

Past peace deals<\/a> have failed to end the fighting in the Casamance region, which is separated from the rest of Senegal by the nation of Gambia and has historically suffered from lower development rates and access to markets in the more prosperous north.<\/p>\n

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The rebels have been fighting for Casamance\u2019s independence since the early 1980s, arguing that the region has suffered neglect by the government.<\/p>\n

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko<\/a> touted the latest peace agreement as an important step in ensuring lasting peace in Casamance, home to some 1.6 million people.<\/p>\n

The deal offered a presidential pardon for imprisoned rebels as well as amnesty and a social reintegration path for other rebels, according to Vincent Foucher, a political scientist at the France-based National Center for Scientific Research, with knowledge of the agreement.<\/p>\n

However, it involves only a faction of the rebel group that is less potent than two others and excludes the hardline faction led by Salif Sadio, the most powerful of the rebel leaders, said Foucher.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see a solution yet. It\u2019s a continuation of endless discussions with a divided movement,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Senegalese state is not prepared to make the political or administrative concessions demanded by the other factions that have not signed the peace agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senegal’s government did not immediately respond to AP’s inquiry for comments about the claims.<\/p>\n

The rebels\u2019 calls for the region\u2019s independence will be difficult to neglect despite the new deal, said Mohamed Traor\u00e9, a doctoral researcher at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar.<\/p>\n

\u201cCasamance nationals, especially the young, are proud to belong to the Senegalese state today, but the MFDC\u2019s hard wing continues to call for independence,\u201d said Traor\u00e9.<\/p>\n

The rebels have not publicly spoken about the deal.<\/p>\n

However, Amidou Djiba, a spokesman for one of the factions not involved in the peace deal, earlier this year accused Senegal\u2019s government of \u201cchoosing the people it talks to,\u201d a trend he said would not help the return of peace in the region.<\/p>\n

\u2014-<\/p>\n

Ahmed reported from Bamako, Mali.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A new peace deal between Senegal and a separatist rebel group in the country’s southern region has been