Disruptions at the Senegal-Guinea-Bissau border: The national coordinator of Vision Citoyenne raises the alarm

The road blockade between Ziguinchor and Guinea-Bissau continues to paralyze the lives of border communities. For several weeks, Guinea-Bissau drivers have been preventing Senegalese vehicles from entering their territory, transforming a vital artery into a zone of tension.

Faced with this situation, Madia Diop Sané, the national coordinator of the Vision Citoyenne movement, raised his voice to call on the authorities of both countries. "We are one people separated by artificial borders," he declared, denouncing a flagrant violation of the principle of free movement guaranteed by ECOWAS.

For him, it is unacceptable that citizens are forced to disembark at Mpack, carry their luggage on foot for hundreds of meters before boarding another vehicle on the other side of the Guinea-Bissau border. A daily ordeal that, according to him, should not exist in the 21st century.

Madia Diop Sané points out that diplomacy is not conducted in the public eye, but emphasizes that the people need to know if a genuine dialogue has begun between Dakar and Bissau. "Senegalese and Bissau-Guineans alike are suffering terribly. This problem is minor and can be resolved overnight," he insists, warning of the consequences of prolonged silence from the authorities.

Beyond the practical aspect, he evokes the historical and cultural dimension: "When you see a Bissau-Guinean passing by, nothing tells you that he is not Senegalese. We are one people, one great people." For him, the borders inherited from colonization should not be barriers, but bridges.

His appeal is direct: it is urgent that Senegalese and Guinea-Bissau diplomacy take responsibility for overcoming this impasse. Because beyond the drivers, thousands of citizens are seeing their daily lives disrupted, their economic activities hampered, and their dignity violated.

"When it comes to peace and social cohesion, there is never one too many dialogues," concludes Madia Diop Sané, reaffirming Vision citoyenne's commitment to defending the rights of the people and working towards a borderless fraternity between Senegalese and Bissau-Guineans.

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