Party) and a liberal party (the Senegalese Democratic Party). In 1980, President Senghor retired from politics, and handed power over to his handpicked successor, Prime Minister Abdou Diouf, in 1981. 1980–present Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia on 1 February 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group in the Casamance region has clashed sporadically with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping. Abdou Diouf was president between 1981 and 2000. Diouf served four terms as president. In the presidential election of 2000, he was defeated in a free and fair election by opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade. Senegal experienced its second peaceful transition of power and its first from one political party to another. On 30 December 2004, President Abdoulaye Wade announced that he would sign a peace treaty with two separatist factions of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) in the Casamance region. This will end West Africa's longest-running civil conflict. As of late 2006, it seemed the peace treaty was holding, as both factions and the Senegalese military appeared to honor the treaty. With recognized prospects for peace, refugees began returning home from neighboring Guinea-Bissau. However, at the beginning of 2007, refugees began fleeing again as the sight of Senegalese troops rekindled fears of a new outbreak of violence between the separatists and the government. Abdoulaye Wade conceded defeat to Macky Sall in the election of 2012. In February 2019, president Macky Sall was re-elected and he won a second term. The length of presidential term was reduced from seven years to five. See also Dakar history and timeline Four Communes French , 1817–1946 History of Africa History of West Africa Politics of Senegal President of Senegal Prime Minister of Senegal Saint-Louis history and timeline References Background Note: Senegal Further reading English Language Auchnie, Ailsa. "The commandement indigène" in Senegal. 1919–1947, London: SOAS, 1983, 405 pages (Thèse) Chafer, Tony. The End of Empire in French West Africa: France's Successful Decolonization. Berg (2002). Gellar, Sheldon. Senegal: an African nation between Islam and the West (Boulder: Westview Press, 1982). Idowu, H. Oludare. The Conseil General in Senegal, 1879–1920, Ibadan: University of Ibadan, 1970 (Thèse) Leland, Conley Barrows. Général Faidherbe, the Maurel and Prom Company, and French