▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 - 1 9 4 8 ▁a ▁process ▁of ▁reconst ruction ▁took ▁place . ▁The ▁main ▁cent ers ▁of ▁activity ▁were ▁Sen eg al , ▁I v ory ▁Coast , ▁T ogo ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁S oud an . ▁CG T ▁had ▁an ▁upper ▁hand ▁in ▁the ▁Muslim ▁regions ▁in ▁comparison ▁to ▁its ▁main ▁rival ▁C FT C , ▁who ▁dep ended ▁on ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁Catholic ▁communities ▁for ▁its ▁rec ruit ment . ▁CG T ▁emer ged ▁as ▁the ▁major ▁trade ▁union ▁force ▁amongst ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 ▁ 0 0 0 ▁strong ▁organized ▁labour ▁force ▁in ▁Sen eg al ▁and ▁Maur it ania ▁after ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁Within ▁the ▁CG T ▁branches ▁in ▁the ▁region , ▁there ▁was ▁however ▁a ▁growing ▁wish ▁for ▁independence . ▁A ▁leader ▁of ▁CG T ▁in ▁French ▁West ▁Africa , ▁Bass ir ou ▁Gu è ye , ▁promoted ▁this ▁idea . ▁At ▁a ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁Territ orial ▁Union ▁of ▁Trade ▁Un ions ▁in ▁Sen eg al ▁and ▁Maur it ania , ▁held ▁in ▁Dak ar ▁November ▁ 1 1 – Nov ember ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁deleg ates ▁voted ▁for ▁separation ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁CG T . ▁A ▁conference ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁Saint - Louis ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 4 – J anu ary ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁which ▁formed ▁the ▁Conf édération ▁générale ▁des ▁trav aille urs ▁a fr ic ains