Today, we are going to address a current topic which concerns Senegal and more precisely the closure of the maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor. For five months, the inhabitants of Casamance and economic players have been impatiently awaiting the reopening of this link, which was suspended following the demonstrations which shook the country in June 2023 during the conviction of the opponent Ousmane Sonko.
This closure had significant economic consequences, particularly for agricultural processing companies in the region. Xavier Diatta, the director of Casa Industrie SA, a company which transforms Casamance agricultural production, testifies to the difficulties encountered. Indeed, many agricultural products, such as mangoes, have rotted because they could not be transported to weekly markets and supermarkets due to high costs by road or air.
It is in this context that Xavier Diatta decided to launch an online petition to demand the reopening of the maritime link. In the space of two days, the petition collected more than 2,000 signatures, demonstrating the urgency of the situation for residents and economic players in the region.
The petition calls for an urgent reopening of the maritime link, while highlighting the lack of communication from the shipping company and the ministry. Xavier Diatta also highlights the inconsistency of the situation, recalling that even during the Casamance crisis in the 1980s, boats continued to circulate. He therefore questions the security justifications put forward today.
For the moment, no resumption date has been announced by the government. The signatories of the petition therefore hope to reach the threshold of 5,000 signatures so that the Economic and Social Council is forced to take up the issue and provide explanations for the suspension of this vital link for the Ziguinchor region.
In conclusion, the closure of the maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor for five months has had serious economic consequences for the Casamance region. Residents and economic players are therefore calling for the urgent reopening of this link, hoping to obtain answers from the competent authorities.