While President Macky Sall’s government was negotiating with the MFDC on finding solutions, the demobilization was not initiated.

In his 2012 new year’s speech, Senegalese President Wade said he would facilitate the process of social reintegration of rebels if disarmament and demobilization took place.¹

In 2011, the press reported that “the demobilisation, disarmament and reinsertion of some 2,000 fightersÉ has never been carried out” (Agence France Presse, 2011).²

There was no mention of the demobilization program.

There was no mention of the demobilization program.

After lack of progress, the World Bank transferred its funds away from its demobilization project to other projects.³

In January, the prospect for formal demobilization greatly decreased as the MFDC leader who signed the 2004 peace accord, Abbe Diamacoune Senghor, died. In that context, the evolution of the MFDC from a unified separatist movement aiming to redress Casamance’s grievances to a factional movement driven more by economic considerations further decreased hopes for demobilization.⁴

Contrary to World Bank information, in a news interview in October 2006, Koussaynobo Alphonse Diedhiou, coordinator of the National Agency for the Reconstruction of Casamance (ANRAC) said that “It is very difficult to realise a programme of demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration of the rebels, for example, without a peace process in place. There has not been a meeting between the MFDC and the government since 2004” (United Nations, 2006).⁵ In an interview, Director General of ANRAC argued, “If they (MFDC) are serious about the peace negotiations then they should lay down their weapons. It’s their responsibility to draw up a list and present that to us. How would we know who’s in their rank and file? If they give us a list, weÕll demobilize them. But as long as there is no list, there will be no disarmament and demobilization”.⁶

According to a World Bank report, implementation of demobilization, reinsertion, and reintegration was dependent on the formal receipt from the MFDC to the government of the list of combatants identified for demobilization. To that end, the report stated there were negotiations between the government and the MFDC. The World Bank had initiated a program for the demobilization of combatants, the reintegration of combatants, IDPs and refugees, and the reconstruction of infrastructure in areas of return.¹

No violence reported in 2014. In May, one of the leaders of MFDC, Salif Sadio, declared a unilateral ceasefire. The ceasefire was announced after a government and the MFDC delegation met in Rome under the facilitation of the Sant’Egidio Catholic Community. ⁷