Abdoulaye Wade

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Abdoulaye Wade

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Abdoulaye Wade , 1926-, Senegalese political leader. He studied at several French universities, receiving (1970) a doctorate in law and economics from the Sorbonne, and was a law professor and lawyer in France before returning to Senegal to practice law and teach it at the Univ. of Dakar. In 1974 he founded the liberal Senegalese Democratic party (PDS), the first to oppose President Léopold Senghor 's ruling Socialist party. Wade was elected to parliament in 1978. He ran for president against Senghor in 1978 and 1983 and against Senghor's hand-picked successor, Abdou Diouf, in 1988 and 1993, and was defeated each time, although the 1988 results were widely disputed. Wade, who served (1991-92) as minister of state, was arrested in 1994 (for inciting riot) and acquitted, and again served (1995-98) as minister of state. In 2000 he finally defeated Diouf and won the presidency, ending four decades of Socialist rule. Despite rampant unemployment, which he vowed to ameliorate, Wade was reelected in 2007. In office, he has fought corruption and instituted free-market reforms and literacy, public health, and antipoverty measures.

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Senegal

A Dictionary of Contemporary World History | 2004 | | © A Dictionary of Contemporary World History 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Senegal Colonized by French tradesmen from 1659, it became the first French colony in Africa in 1854. A part of French West Africa, it was made a French Overseas Territory in 1946, an autonomous republic in 1958, joined in a short-lived federation with Soudan (which then became Mali) in 1959, and became independent in 1960, with Senghor as the country's first President. By that time, Senegal had developed a relatively rich and active political culture, dating back to the nineteenth century, when its towns had elected a deputy to the French Assembly in Paris (1848, and from 1876). As a result, the country was relatively stable politically upon independence. Senghor quickly established his domination in the political sphere, asserting himself against his rival, Mamadou Dia (b. 1911), in 1962, and gradually creating a single-party state through the absorption or banning of other political parties, 1966–74. Despite the absence of a multi-party democracy, however, there was considerable discussion within Senghor's own party, renamed the Parti Socialiste (PS, Socialist Party) in 1976. Senghor maintained good relations with France, and gradually introduced market-orientated measures to undo his earlier policies of nationalization and moderate state planning.

Senghor and his more efficient successor, Diouf, failed to change significantly the country's key economic problem, its over-reliance on its main crop, peanuts. In 1982, Senegal entered a confederation with Gambia, in which both countries retained their sovereignty but were committed to pursue common goals in economic, education, foreign, and defence policy. Senegambia fell apart in 1989, mainly because of mutual mistrust, and Gambian protests about Senegalese dominance. In the 1990s Diouf continued his policies of political liberalization through involving some politicians of the opposition in his government, though the integration of the opposition also had the effect of cancelling out any major challenges to his own power. Despite impressive economic growth rates in the 1990s, Senegal's main problems continued to be the growing armed conflict in the region, notably the separatist movement in the southern part, the Casamance. Other problems included the difference between town and country expressed in the latter's appalling medical and educational provision, and a large number of unemployed in Dakar and other cities. In 2000, the opposition united in the second round of the presidential elections, whereupon Diouf lost to Abdoulaye Wade, an event that ended the Socialist Party's 40-year grip on power. Wade attempted to broker a peace agreement with the rebel Movement of the Democratic Forces of the Casamance. He also instituted political reforms to increase the power of parliament at the expense of the President.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Free Article Senegal's President-Elect Abdoulaye Wade Plans Sweeping Changes There.(Brief Article)
Magazine article from: Jet; 4/10/2000
Free Article Senegalese president re-elected.(AFRICAN AFFAIRS)(Abdoulaye Wade)(Brief article)
Magazine article from: Jet; 3/19/2007
Free Article BAHRAIN: SENEGAL PRESIDENT, BAHRAIN OFFICIALS DISCUSS OIC MEET.(Abdoulaye Wade)(Brief Article)
Newspaper article from: IPR Strategic Business Information Database; 4/26/2005

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ABDOULAYE WADE PRESIDENT OF SENEGAL ABDOULAYE WADE HOLDS MEDIA AVAILABILITY FOLLOWING MEETING WITH PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
Transcript from: Washington Transcript Service; 6/18/2002; 436 words ; 00-00-0000 THE PRESIDENT OF SENEGAL ABDOULAYE WADE HOLDS MEDIA AVAILABILITY FOLLOWING MEETING WITH PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH JUNE 19, 2002 SPEAKER: ABDOULAYE WADE PRESIDENT OF SENEGAL *** Elapsed Time 00:00...
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News Wire article from: US Fed News Service, Including US State News; 7/18/2008; 672 words ; ...Brent Latham Senegal's president, Abdoulaye Wade, has convinced his Sudanese counterpart...relations with Chad. The effort is Mr. Wade's latest attempt at diplomacy...spokesman for Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade says President Omar al-Bashir...
ABDOULAYE WADE RECEIVES HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY PEACE PRIZE
News Wire article from: US Fed News Service, Including US State News; 5/16/2006; 700+ words ; ...Prize to the President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, during a ceremony at the Organization...and stressed the role of President Wade in the management, prevention and...The prize is given to President Abdoulaye Wade for his contribution to democracy...
Polls back Wade.(Abdoulaye Wade)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
Magazine article from: African Business; 6/1/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...the end H of April saw President Abdoulaye Wade's 'Sopi' coalition sweep to victory...seen as an endorsement for President Wade's administration. It has put paid to speculation that President Wade had made a political error in dismissing...
Abdoulaye Wade's 25-Year Political Battle Pays Off.
News Wire article from: Africa News Service; 3/21/2000; 700+ words ; ...2000) Senegalese President-elect Abdoulaye Wade's victory in Sunday's run-off...year-old Maitre (Barrister) Wade, as he is fondly called, achieved...him, at the polls on 27 February. Wade is better known as a lawyer but he...
ZIMBABWE: GOBIERNO ACUSA DE TRAICION A PRESIDENTE SENEGALES.(Abdoulaye Wade, Presidente, expresa dudas sobre la legalidad de elecciones)(TT: Zimbabwe: Government accuses the president of Senegal of treason.)(TA: Abdoulaye Wade, President, questions legality of elections)(Artículo Breve)
News Wire article from: Noticias en Español; 4/22/2002; ; 700+ words ; ...traicin al presidente de Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, por cuestionar la legitimidad de...eleccin a lo que ocurri", dijo Wade en una entrevista publicada el 10...Zimbabwe, Stan Mudenge, sostuvo que "Wade traicion a Mugabe a cambio de ayuda...
Pawa Honours Abdoulaye Wade.
News Wire article from: Africa News Service; 4/3/2009; 700+ words ; ...African writers have lauded Maitre Professor Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal, for the inspiring...PAWA Bronze Portrait Plaque of Honour to President Abdoulaye Wade. This took place during the opening ceremony of the...
ABDOULAYE WADE TO RECEIVE 2005 FELIX HOUPHOUËT-BOIGNY PEACE PRIZE
News Wire article from: US Fed News Service, Including US State News; 5/11/2006; 559 words ; ...Cultural Organization issued the following news release: Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal, will receive...winner, stated: "The prize is given to President Abdoulaye Wade for his contribution to democracy in his country and...
Trouble at home; Senegal.(Senegal's authoritarian president Abdoulaye Wade and the country's domestic discontent)
Magazine article from: The Economist (US); 2/28/2009; 700+ words ; President Abdoulaye Wade will ignore domestic discontent at his peril ONCE a source of delays...town centre. La Corniche, as it is known, is one of President Abdoulaye Wade's "great projects". He trumpets it as a symbol of his achievements...
Chirac congratulates Senegalese President elect Abdoulaye Wade
News Wire article from: Xinhua News Agency; 3/5/2007; 405 words ; Chirac congratulates Senegalese President elect Abdoulaye Wade DAKAR, March 5 (Xinhua) -- French President Jacques...glowing tribute" to Senegalese President elect Abdoulaye Wade for winning a second mandate during the first round...

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