{ "id": "R41369", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R41369", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 422615, "date": "2013-06-20", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T21:05:43.108024", "title": "Senegal: Background and U.S. Relations", "summary": "Successive U.S. Administrations have viewed Senegal as a democratic leader in Africa, an anchor of regional stability, and a partner in addressing development challenges and combating transnational security threats. Senegalese President Macky Sall met with President Barack Obama at the White House in March 2013, and President Obama is expected to visit Senegal in late June. A small, arid nation on West Africa\u2019s Atlantic coast, Senegal has struggled with widespread poverty and a long-running, low-level separatist insurgency in its southern Casamance region. Still, the country\u2019s democratic continuity and military professionalism have stood in stark contrast to near-state collapse in neighboring Mali (previously also considered a democracy), and to unrest and instability elsewhere in the region. This regional turbulence presents security, political, and economic challenges to Senegal\u2019s leadership and population.\nPresident Sall was voted into office in early 2012 in an election widely seen as free and fair, defeating incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade, who had been in office since 2000. Wade\u2019s decision to run for what would have been a third term in office was extremely controversial within Senegal, provoking protests and sparking concerns over potential instability. Such concerns prompted officials in the Obama Administration and some Members of Congress to appeal to Wade to withdraw his candidacy. Wade pursued his campaign nonetheless, and criticized what he described as Western interference. In the end, Sall\u2019s electoral victory, and Wade\u2019s peaceful concession, renewed many Senegalese and international observers\u2019 faith in the strength of Senegal\u2019s democratic institutions. \nSince his election, President Sall has focused on reforming Senegal\u2019s bloated civilian administration, pursuing investigations into corrupt practices under his predecessor, and making a renewed push for peace in Casamance. While these initiatives appear to be popular, Sall faces stark challenges, including public expectations that he will deliver rapid economic dividends to Senegal\u2019s largely impoverished population. It is also unclear how far Sall can pursue allegations of corruption under his predecessor without implicating himself or close allies, as he and others served in senior positions under former President Wade.\nCongress plays a role in shaping U.S. policy toward Senegal through its authorization and appropriation of foreign assistance, and through its oversight of executive branch policies and programs. In addition to bilateral aid totaling $109.6 million in FY2012, Senegal is the beneficiary of a five-year, $540 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact signed in 2009. Some Members of Congress objected to the decision to award Senegal an MCC compact in light of concerns, at the time, over corruption and political trends under then-President Wade. In the conference report accompanying P.L. 112-74, the FY2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act, appropriators directed the Administration to allocate at least $50 million in development aid to Senegal, while also expressing concern over Senegal\u2019s failure to bring to justice former Chadian president Hiss\u00e8ne Habr\u00e9, who lives in Senegal and has been accused of crimes against humanity. Some progress has since been made toward a possible trial for Habr\u00e9.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R41369", "sha1": "08454b2af3581eb70d45bc70ba035c79e9986fe1", "filename": "files/20130620_R41369_08454b2af3581eb70d45bc70ba035c79e9986fe1.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R41369", "sha1": "2389127e8797afcd3420178f7063e3aadbd74db5", "filename": "files/20130620_R41369_2389127e8797afcd3420178f7063e3aadbd74db5.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 276, "name": "Sub-Saharan Africa" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc815261/", "id": "R41369_2012Apr11", "date": "2012-04-11", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Senegal: Background and U.S. Relations", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120411_R41369_6789e7af88f08b22e7951e212c86557c5b25b7e3.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120411_R41369_6789e7af88f08b22e7951e212c86557c5b25b7e3.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc85385/", "id": "R41369_2012Feb20", "date": "2012-02-20", "retrieved": "2012-06-06T14:34:05", "title": "Senegal: Background and U.S. Relations", "summary": "Some concerns regarding Senegal include the running of the current Senegalese President for a third term and U.S. financial assistance. The United States has viewed Senegal as an anchor of regional stability and a potential partner in combating transnational security threats, such as terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and maritime piracy. Senegal is a significant contributor of troops to international peacekeeping missions, and thousands of Senegalese peacekeepers have received U.S. training through the State Department's Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program. Congress plays a role in guiding U.S. policy toward Senegal through its authorization, appropriation, and oversight of foreign assistance and executive branch policies.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120220_R41369_177a3be8f35d39fc406ece4312ec4fe1d465bbef.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120220_R41369_177a3be8f35d39fc406ece4312ec4fe1d465bbef.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Senegal - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Senegal - U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Senegal", "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Senegal" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Corruption in politics", "name": "Corruption in politics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "American economic assistance - Senegal", "name": "American economic assistance - Senegal" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc99019/", "id": "R41369_2011Mar25", "date": "2011-03-25", "retrieved": "2012-08-31T21:48:36", "title": "Senegal: Background and U.S. Relations", "summary": "This report covers the background, recent politics, governant, and economy of Senegal. It also looks at security and human rights issues and Senegal's ties with France and the Middle East. It ends with a look at U.S. - Senegal relations.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20110325_R41369_729e83a8751b1b3ef5ec1cd0c3428e99ae24e99e.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20110325_R41369_729e83a8751b1b3ef5ec1cd0c3428e99ae24e99e.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Senegal -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Senegal -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Senegal", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Senegal" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Corruption in politics", "name": "Corruption in politics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "American economic assistance -- Senegal", "name": "American economic assistance -- Senegal" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc490977/", "id": "R41369_2010Aug16", "date": "2010-08-16", "retrieved": "2015-01-27T19:40:46", "title": "Senegal: Background and U.S. Relations", "summary": "This report covers the background, recent politics, government, and economy of Senegal. It also looks at security and human rights issues and Senegal's ties with France and the Middle East. It ends with a look at U.S. - Senegal relations.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20100816_R41369_da45f2216594e13275f3c5af9f1af8019d4ac15b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20100816_R41369_da45f2216594e13275f3c5af9f1af8019d4ac15b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Senegal -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Senegal -- U.S." }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Senegal", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Senegal" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Corruption in politics", "name": "Corruption in politics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "American economic assistance -- Senegal", "name": "American economic assistance -- Senegal" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Appropriations", "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security", "National Defense" ] }