The early history of Senegal has been discussed elsewhere on this site. This video documentary explores that period but also focuses on Senegal's successful transition to a peaceful democracy, albeit against a backdrop of some internal difficulties and enduring hardship through poverty and the encroaching desertification in the north of the country. Perhaps some of the reasons for this successful transition to independence in 1960 are down to the country's first president, Leopold Senghor, who, far from having an army and /or militant background was a distinguished politician who helped helped draft the then French President's new constitution for France in 1958.

Using this experience he provided Senegal with a new constitution of its own in 1963, placing executive powers in the hands of the Senegal president, an office he occupied until the transfer of power to his successor Abdou Diouf in 1980.

This new constitution followed an abortive coup attempt by then Prime Minister Mamadou Dia who was later arrested and imprisoned. The coup itself was bloodless. Abdou Diouf demonstrated a strong commitment to democracy during his four terms as president from 1981 to 2000, however was defeated in democratic elections of that year and was succeeded by Senegalese Democratic Party opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade.

One of the ongoing difficulties of Wade's presidency has been the long running conflict with two separatist factions of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) in the Casamance region in the south of the country.