20100405
africanews

A combination of military forces from about eight African nations took part in celebrations marking Senegal's Golden Jubilee celebrations, on Sunday.
senegal at 50
The inter-African military parade served as a perfect physical demonstration by President Abdoulaye Wade of the endless call for continental unity, a domineering subject in the entire celebrations of his country’s 50th Independence anniversary. Other forces came from Cape Verde, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Morocco and Mauritania.

France, Senegal’s former colonial master; Italy and Spain were also represented at the parade ground in the capital Dakar.

Also present at the high profile ceremony were about 20 other African heads of states who, alongside their host, saw an impressive performance ranging from cultural, artistic to military exhibitions.

The theme of Senegal’s 50th anniversary has been all about a free and historically meaningful Africa. President Wade used his independence message to the nation to announce the completion of a “dream” by the country’s ‘elders’.

“By breaking away, fifty years ago, the dependencies imposed by the colonial power, our country accomplished the dream of our elders for the total liberation of our soil, a dream completed today by the resumption of our bases formerly granted to France,” the president said in a televised statement on the eve of the celebrations proper.

“Therefore, I solemnly declare that Senegal reassumed, from today, April 4, 2010, at midnight, all the bases on our soil previously held by France.”

He added: “The specificity of our historical relations, based on history, language and some basic common values, leads us to develop, with France, a new area of cooperation.”