Title: Reopening of the Dakar-Ziguinchor maritime link: an online petition to support the Casamance economy
Introduction :
For five months, the maritime link between Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and Ziguinchor, capital of the Casamance region, has been at a standstill. This situation has serious economic consequences for the region, particularly for agricultural stakeholders who are struggling to sell their production. Faced with this impasse, a business leader launched an online petition to demand the reopening of this vital link for the development of the Casamance region. Explanations.
Development :
Since the shutdown of the three ships providing the maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor, the Casamance region has been facing serious economic problems. Xavier Diatta, head of Casa Industrie SA, a company specializing in the processing of local agricultural products, denounces the disastrous consequences of this situation. Products such as mangoes deteriorated quickly because they could not be transported to markets. Transport costs by road or air are prohibitive and make it difficult to market Casamance products.
It is in this context that Xavier Diatta took the initiative of launching an online petition to request the reopening of the Dakar-Ziguinchor maritime link. In just two days, more than 2,000 signatures have already been collected, demonstrating the support of the population and economic players in the region. The petition calls for an urgent resumption of boat rotations to allow the revival of the Casamance economy.
But this protest movement goes beyond the simple demand for the reopening of the maritime link. Xavier Diatta questions the lack of communication from the authorities concerned. He deplores the lack of information on the reasons for the suspension of ships, even though in the midst of the Casamance crisis in the 1980s, the maritime link was maintained. He therefore calls not only for the reopening of the connection, but also for better transparency on the part of the companies and the ministry concerned.
Conclusion :
The online petition for the reopening of the maritime link between Dakar and Ziguinchor demonstrates the urgent need to support the Casamance economy. By suspending boat rotations for five months, the authorities have had dramatic consequences for agricultural stakeholders in the region. This online mobilization aims to raise awareness among decision-makers and obtain answers regarding the prolonged suspension of this vital link. Let us hope that this petition, which already has more than 2,000 signatures, achieves its objective and encourages the authorities to take rapid action to re-establish this essential link for regional development.