Casamansa, nada mansa

SENEGAL Taking a chance on Casamance

Armed with a development plan and secretive mediators, the President thinks he can pacify the troubled region The fractious politics of Casamance are holding up President Macky Sall's grand economic plans as he tries to relaunch his battered government. He believes that a breakthrough in the deadlock with Casamance separatists could pave the way for a major revival in his political fortunes. The urgent need for change was underlined on 17 August when ten young people were killed when their ox cart detonated a land mine close to Casamance's border with Gambia. Administrative and financial problems have undermined support for his presidency, resulting in heavy losses for the governing coalition in local elections in late June, and Sall urgently needs a win. Africa Confidential