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Senegal
>> Regional Overview >> Senegal Overview Program Data Sheet
685-009
USAID MISSION: Senegal
PROGRAM TITLE: Casamance Conflict Resolution (Pillars: Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade; and Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance)
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE AND NUMBER: Improved Enabling Conditions for Peace via Economic, Social and Political Development, 685-009
STATUS: Continuing
PLANNED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $1,910,000 DA
PROPOSED FY 2003 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $0
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1999 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2004Summary: The Casamance region of Senegal suffers from the effects of a 19-year armed separatist struggle, led by the Movement of Democratic Forces for the Casamance (MFDC). The conflict has led to a sharp decline in the economic and social well being of the population. The Casamance is Senegal's most fertile region, with potential for economic development based on tourism, agriculture and trade. The Casamance Conflict Resolution program seeks to encourage economic development and to encourage local residents to opt for peace and reconciliation with the following activities:
- microcredit with a focus on job creation/income generation targeted mostly at women;
- reconciliation and peace-building activities;
- promotion of cash crops and agricultural processing;
- capacity building for local non-governmental organizations;
- reconstruction and rehabilitation (homes, wells, schools, latrines, health posts and dikes to prevent salt water intrusion).
Inputs, Outputs and Activities: FY 2002 Program: Through grants, USAID will use Development Assistance resources to continue to support activities of U.S. and Senegalese NGOs that help to alleviate poverty and improve living conditions in the Casamance. Increased access to microcredit will create jobs and generate income for displaced families, women and ex-combatants. Agricultural activities, such as sesame promotion, horticulture and cashew processing, will provide additional means of income and new skills. Capacity building and training activities will create a stronger NGO sector able to better manage development challenges. Rehabilitation of infrastructure and peace and reconciliation events will help to encourage a sustainable peace.
Planned FY 2003 Program: No FY 2003 funds are requested for this Special Objective. By FY 2003, USAID hopes to significantly expand the activities of the private enterprise, democratic local governance and health objectives in the Casamance region, eliminating the need for a special objective.
Performance and Results: The Casamance Support Program has already had important effects in the Casamance. Forty-seven village banks have been opened, extending over $58,000 in credit to women. Furthermore, the majority of the 2,564 women who received loans used them to create microenterprises - thus alleviating financial problems for their families. USAID funded the reconstruction of 182 houses, providing shelter for approximately 2,000 people, 26 wells, one health post, and a school. Over 450 people have been employed on permanent or short-term contracts - these salaries are important in a cash-weak environment. Training has been provided to 252 people in both technical and managerial domains - including topics as varied as processing of cashew nuts, HIV/AIDS awareness, and microcredit. Cultivation of sesame, a potentially important cash crop in the region, has increased by 6,225 hectares. Advice and technical training encouraged a local entrepreneur to establish a nursery of vetiver grass in the Casamance. The grass is used to protect land in rice cultivation areas and elsewhere from erosion.
Peace-building activities have had more elusive, but equally important effects. A Senegalese NGO continues to play an important role in negotiations between the MFDC and the government - a role that grew out of their USAID-financed peace-building program. Small grants to other community-based organizations have supported important traditional ceremonies to help encourage peace and mediate conflict.
USAID's activities in the Casamance (this program and activities recently initiated by the private enteprise, health and girls education programs) have been a crucial factor in encouraging donors to return to the Casamance and have increased the confidence of the people that an end to the conflict is within their grasp.
Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: USAID currently works with the following grantees: Africare; Catholic Relief Services (partners with 3 local NGOS and has sub-grants with a further 12); World Education (partners with Tostan, an international NGO, and two local NGOs); Handicap International; Enterprise Works; Association for Rural Development of Nyassia, a Casamance-based NGO; and UNICEF.
US Financing in Thousands of Dollars
685-009 Improved Enabling Conditions for Peace via Economic, Social and Political Development CSD DA DFA Through September 30, 2000 Obligations 0 3,499 1,500 Expenditures 0 224 157 Unliquidated 0 3,275 1,343 Fiscal Year 2001 Obligations 400 1,758 0 Expenditures 0 873 429 Through September 30, 2001 Obligations 400 5,257 1,500 Expenditures 0 1,097 586 Unliquidated 400 4,160 914 Prior Year Unobligated Funds Obligations 0 0 0 Planned Fiscal Year 2002 NOA Obligations 0 1,910 0 Total Planned Fiscal Year 2002 Obligations 0 1,910 0 Proposed Fiscal Year 2003 NOA Obligations 0 0 0 Future Obligations 0 0 0 Est. Total Cost 400 7,167 1,500
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
