Why the reopening of the maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor is a necessity for the Senegalese economy
In Senegal, the closure of the maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor for five months has had a considerable impact on the economy of the Casamance region. Xavier Diatta, the director of Casa Industrie SA, a company that transforms agricultural production in Casamance, launched an online petition to demand the reopening of this crucial link.
The main problem facing economic players in the region is the high cost of transporting goods since the boats stopped. Costs have doubled by road, and even more by plane. This led to a significant drop in sales as agricultural produce, such as mangoes, rotted because they could not be transported to local markets and supermarkets.
Xavier Diatta’s petition aims to raise awareness among the authorities of the disastrous economic consequences of closing the maritime link. He also highlights the lack of communication from the shipping company and the government since the boats stopped. It is important, according to him, to be informed and to be able to make forecasts for economic activities in the region.
It is also interesting to note that during the Casamance crisis, the boats were still circulating, which makes the justification for the closure for security reasons difficult to understand for Xavier Diatta.
The petition has already collected more than 2,000 signatures in just two days, and the goal is to reach 5,000 signatures so that the Economic and Social Council is forced to look into this issue and provide explanations on the stoppage of the maritime link.
The reopening of the maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor is crucial to supporting the Casamance economy. Not only will it reduce the costs of transporting goods, but it will also promote the economic development of the region by allowing better access to local and international markets.
It is therefore imperative that the authorities take into account the concerns of economic actors and citizens in the region and act quickly to restore this vital connection. Let’s hope that Xavier Diatta’s petition will achieve its objective and that the long-awaited explanations will be provided.