MAURITANIAN AND SENEGALESE PRESIDENTS DISCUSS

UNCLAS DAKAR 001570 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL/AE AND INR/AA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PINS SOCI PHUM PINR PREF OVIP SG MR SUBJECT: MAURITANIAN AND SENEGALESE PRESIDENTS DISCUSS REFUGEE ISSUES SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Mauritanian President, Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, paid an official visit to Senegal on July 9 and ¶10. He met President Wade and with the Mauritanian community where discussions included the status of Mauritanian refugees on the Mauritania-Senegal border. The newly installed President emphasized his wish to repatriate the refugees who have been in Senegal for approximately two decades. Following a July 18 Cabinet meeting, Wade offered Senegalese citizenship to those refugees who wished to stay in Senegal. End Summary. Background -------------- ¶2. (U) In the late 1980,s and early 1990,s a conflict arose between Senegal and Mauritania over a border dispute along the Senegal River that resulted in violent clashes, human rights violations, and the expulsion of 8black8 Mauritanians to Senegal during the rule of former Mauritanian leader Maouya Ould Taya. Some refugees intermittently returned to Mauritania; however, approximately 18-20,000 remain waiting for assistance and guarantees of their safety. ¶3. (SBU) Most of the refugees have been residing in provisional settlements along the Senegal River Valley. UNHCR has been called upon to assist with a safe and smooth reintegration process. During the visit, Presidents Abdallahi and Wade agreed to repatriate refugees if the international community provides support. President Abdallahi also urged Mauritanian citizens to support the reinsertion efforts. On July 19, newspapers reported on a communiqu from the Cabinet asserting a Presidential decision that the government of Senegal would grant Mauritanian refugees Senegalese citizenship if they wished to stay in country. UNHCR Representative Rosaline Idowu confirmed that the President had told her as much during a recent meeting. The communiqu further stated that those who wished to return would receive assistance from both governments. ¶4. (U) Visit Embassy Dakar,s SIPRNET website at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/af/dakar. SMITH