As part of the strengthening of historical ties of good neighbourliness and socio-cultural intermingling between Senegal and its neighbours, the President of the Republic of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, is paying a working and friendship visit to Guinea Bissau on Tuesday 30 April 2024.
This visit, which follows on from the Head of State’s first trips to Mauritania and Gambia, reflects the key place occupied by the Dakar-Bissau axis in President Faye’s diplomatic priorities, emphasises a note from the Government Information Office received by APA on Monday evening.
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau enjoy close cooperation in virtually all areas, from security and culture to the highly strategic fisheries sector. Fisheries remains one of the major areas of cooperation between the two countries.
Since December 1978, they have been linked by a Convention on Maritime Fisheries. The application protocol signed on 1 February 2022 in Dakar was evaluated and renewed in February 2024.
Border management is also a pillar of cooperation. In November 2023, a joint technical commission was set up to initiate and implement joint actions for the peaceful settlement of disputes and the strengthening of peace and security in border areas.
Similarly, the cultural sector is a perfect illustration of the close ties between Dakar and Bissau. In February 2023, financial support was given to the National Ballet of Guinea Bissau for its participation in the National Festival of Arts and Cultures (FESNAC) in Kaffrine. Guinea Bissau was also guest of honour at the 2023 Senegal Carnival.
An improved Dakar-Bissau corridor
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau have embarked on a project to improve the corridor linking their two capitals, supported by the African Development Bank, in the spirit of good neighbourliness and African integration.
In terms of trade, Guinea-Bissau is one of Senegal’s customers inAfrica, with exports estimated at 108,257 tonnes in 2022, or 55.201 billion CFA francs, representing an improvement of 33.5 percent,
compared to 2021.
Lastly, the maritime border between the two countries is home to a Management and Cooperation Agency responsible for the assessment andmanagement of fisheries resources, and the search for and exploitation
of mineral and oil resources in a Joint Exploration Zone (ZEC)covering some 25,000 square kilometers of the continental shelf.
ARD/ac/fss/abj/APA