IV.  POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES

SENEGAL ENJOYS AN EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES.
THE GOVERNMENT OF SENEGAL HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE IN THE UNITED
NATIONS.  SOME 200 SENEGALESE STUDENTS COME TO THE U.S. EACH YEAR
FOR STUDY.  THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROVIDES SOME 300 MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR IN ASSISTANCE.


SYNOPSIS OF POLITICAL SYSTEM

SENEGAL IS A REPUBLIC WITH AN ELECTED PRESIDENT, ABDOU DIOUF, WHO
HAS BEEN IN OFFICE SINCE 1981.   THE COUNTRY HAS A UNICAMERAL
LEGISLATURE WHICH HAS BEEN CONTROLLED BY THE PRESIDENT'S
SOCIALIST PARTY SINCE INDEPENDENCE FROM FRANCE IN 1960.

PRESIDENT DIOUF AND THE SOCIALIST PARTY AGAIN WON PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS IN FEBRUARY 1993 AND LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS IN MAY 1993,
GAINING 84 OF 120 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SEATS.  DIOUF WAS ELECTED TO
A SEVEN-YEAR TERM.  THE OPPOSITION PARTIES, LED BY THE SENEGALESE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY WON 27 SEATS.  THOUGH DIOUF AND THE SOCIALISTS
CLEARLY HAD MAJORITIES, BOTH ELECTIONS WERE MARRED BY ACCUSATIONS
OF FRAUD AND IRREGULARITIES.

PRESIDENT DIOUF'S MANDATE RUNS TO THE YEAR 2000.  MUNICIPAL
ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD IN 1995.


POLITICAL ISSUES AFFECTING BUSINESS CLIMATE

DESPITE ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES, BUSINESSES DO NOT PERCEIVE ANY
IMMEDIATE INSTABILITY IN THE POLITICAL SITUATION.  THE RULING
SOCIALIST PARTY RETAINS ITS STRENGTH, ESPECIALLY IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE, AND PRESIDENT ABDOU DIOUF'S CURRENT MANDATE EXTENDS
TO THE YEAR 2000.  THE SENEGALESE ARMY IS NON-POLITICAL AND
HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL.  OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE PERSONALITY-DRIVEN
AND THEIR APPROACH TO ECONOMIC MATTERS DOES NOT DIFFER
PERCEPTIBLY FROM THAT OF THE RULING SOCIALIST PARTY.  THERE IS
CONCERN FOR THE MEDIUM TERM ABOUT THE GROWING PRESSURES OF
POPULATION GROWTH AND URBAN UNEMPLOYMENT.

ALTHOUGH TRADITIONALLY SENEGAL HAS A STRONG RECORD IN SUPPORT OF
HUMAN RIGHTS, THERE WERE SOME REPORTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN
1993 AND IN 1994 AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF INTERNAL POLITICAL
CONFLICT OVER THE ELECTIONS.  A CONSTITUTIONAL COURT JUDGE WAS
ASSASSINATED IN MAY 1993.  THREE PERSONS ACCUSED OF THE CRIME
REMAINED IN JAIL A YEAR LATER AWAITING TRIAL AND THREE OTHERS,
INCLUDING TWO OPPOSITION PARTY DEPUTIES, ARE OUT ON BAIL, ALSO
AWAITING TRIAL.

A RALLY IN FEBRUARY 1994 HELD BY A GROUP OF OPPOSITION PARTIES
WAS FOLLOWED BY RIOTS RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF 8 PERSONS, SIX OF
THEM POLICEMEN.  ONE HUNDRED FIFTY PERSONS WERE ARRESTED IN
CONNECTION WITH THE CASE, TWO OF THEM OPPOSITION PARTY LEADERS
AND ANOTHER OPPOSITION MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.  ALL
CHARGED REMAIN IN JAIL.  THE PROLONGED AND UNCERTAIN PERIOD OF
THEIR DETENTION, ALONG WITH AN ALLEGED BREACH OF PARLIAMENTARY
IMMUNITY IN ARRESTING THEM, HAS LED TO INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM,
INCLUDING LETTERS FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS.

IN THE SOUTH OF SENEGAL, THE CASAMANCE REGION HAS BEEN THE SCENE
OF AN INTERNAL CONFLICT LED BY A SEPARATIST GROUP, THE MOVEMENT
OF DEMOCRATIC FORCES OF THE CASAMANCE (MFDC) FROM 1991-1993.  A
CEASE FIRE WAS SIGNED IN JULY 1993.  SINCE DECEMBER 1993 AND A
REPORT OF A FRENCH EXPERT NOTING THAT THE REGION HAD NO
HISTORICAL CLAIMS TO AUTONOMY FROM THE REST OF SENEGAL, THERE
HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS.  HOTELS IN THE RESORTS AREA OF THE
CASAMANCE, WHICH CLOSED IN 1991, REOPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
DECEMBER 1993.