West Africa's main economic and political bloc ECOWAS has sent a diplomatic mission to Senegal to discuss the political situation there following a delay in its presidential election, the bloc's parliamentary office said on Monday.
During the two-day mission the speaker of the ECOWAS parliament, Sidie Mohamed Tunis, and members of the assembly will meet Senegalese authorities, politicians and representatives of civil society, it said in statement.
The mission was scheduled to arrive in Senegal on Monday.
Three people are known to have been killed in last week’s clashes between protesters and security forces over the postponement of the presidential election, according to local media.
Student killed
Violent protests erupted across the country last Friday, led by opposition political parties and some civil society groups opposed to the election delay.
The victims included 19-year-old high school student, 23-year-old shopkeeper Modou Gueye and a university student, local news portal Seneweb reported, citing hospital sources.
Interior Minister Sidiki Kaba has denied media reports that security forces were responsible for the death.
The European Union on Sunday called on the Senegalese authorities to guarantee “fundamental freedoms” amid protests.
Earlier this month 3, Senegal’s President Macky Sall announced the postponement of presidential election, citing a dispute over candidate list and alleged corruption of constitutional judges.
Senegalese National Assembly last week backed the bill postponing the February 25 presidential election until December 15, during a tense session where opposition lawmakers were forcibly removed from the chamber.
The Constitutional Council is expected to rule in about a week on the issue.
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