Goudomp: Yankhoba Diémé preaches lasting peace in Casamance

The Minister of the Armed Forces, Yankhoba Diémé, marked the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2026, by meeting with religious and traditional leaders and village chiefs in Goudomp. This was a crucial step in his tour of Casamance, where he conveyed messages from the Head of State and Prime Minister Al Amine Lô, emphasizing the memory of those lost in the Joola tragedy and the collective commitment to lasting peace.

The Prime Minister, expected in Ziguinchor on September 26 to preside over the commemoration ceremony for the shipwreck, and the Minister of the Armed Forces called on imams and priests to pray for the victims. Religious authorities, already mobilized, responded favorably. "This tragedy must not be forgotten," Diémé emphasized, stressing that the Republic is also built on memory and solidarity.

In Goudomp, over 300 village chiefs and 150 religious leaders participated in lively discussions about local grievances and infrastructure projects. The minister detailed the progress of the Diomaye plan for Casamance, which has already enabled the return of twenty previously abandoned villages thanks to the work of the CNAMS (National Center for Social Action and Movement) and the army. The demands of the local population focused on the Temento bridge, the Boudier loop, and improving access to isolated areas, among other things.

Yankhoba Diémé emphasized the importance of the defense and security forces, often perceived as instruments of war, but whose primary mission remains the preservation of peace. "They only wage war to bring about peace," he insisted, paying tribute to their commitment. For him, peace in Casamance is the result of a succession of regimes and social actors, and must now translate into concrete actions for development.

The minister delivered a powerful message: peace must no longer be a slogan, but a lived reality. It is embodied in the reconstruction of schools and homes, access to water, the rehabilitation of roads and bridges, youth employment, and local governance. "Peace means building healthcare infrastructure. Peace means building the Ziguinchor bridge. Peace means all these roads and construction projects," he emphasized to an enthusiastic crowd.

The warm welcome extended to Yankhoba Diémé by the elected officials and residents of Goudomp was interpreted as a sign of recognition for the Head of State. Casamance, long scarred by four decades of conflict, has now chosen to turn the page and embrace a dynamic of republicanism and development. By dedicating this day "to all those working for peace," the minister made a passionate appeal: to transform this fragile peace into a lasting one, the foundation of a prosperous future for the region.