DAKAR — Bassirou Diomaye Faye, recently inaugurated as the President of Senegal, has prioritized strengthening ties with neighboring countries in his first official outings, visiting Mauritania and Gambia this April.

According to Burkina Information Agency, President Faye’s visit to Gambia on Saturday is seen as a strategic move to bolster peace efforts in the Casamance region, a long-standing conflict area in southern Senegal. The visit underscores his commitment to regional stability and shared cultural ties with Gambia, which separates Casamance from the rest of Senegal. The conflict in Casamance, which began in December 1982 following the suppression of a march, remains one of the oldest unresolved conflicts in Africa.

On Thursday, April 18, President Faye made his initial official trip to Mauritania since taking office on April 2. The APS reports that the visit aimed to reinforce the amicable and cooperative relationship between Senegal and Mauritania, especially in the joint exploitation of natural gas resources. This approach follows the precedent set by his predecessor, Macky Sall, who also chose Gambia for his first official visit in April 2012.