TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN SENEGAL

CANADIAN COOPERATION SUPPORT UNIT (BACC)

ABOUT SENEGAL
History
Geography
Main cities
Political and administrative organization
The economy
Senegal-Canada comparative data
Holidays
Some tips
Security

GETTING SETTLED
Procedures upon arrival in Senegal
Housing
Water and electricity
Gaz
Telephone service
Postal service
Household staff

SUPPLIES
Electric appliances and electronic equipment
Arts and crafts; decorative arts
Beauty care
Butcheries and delicatessens
Garages
Department stores
Markets
Antique and second-hand furniture
Clothing, fabrics and shoes
Furniture fabrics

HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Hotels
Restaurants
Bakeries and tea rooms
Bistros, bars

FINANCIAL SERVICES
Currency
Credit cards
Banks

TRANSPORTATION
Travelling by road in Senegal
Privately owned vehicle
Vehicle rental
Taxis, bus, car rapides
Air transportation
Rail transportation
Maritime transportation

HEALTH SERVICES
Health tips
Consultations
List of physicians by specialty
Health services (others)
Ambulances
Medical analysis
Aids information
Opticians
Pharmacies
Repatriation on medical grounds
Emergency services
Veterinarians

SCHOOLS
Educational institutions

CULTURE, RECREATION AND LEISURE
Libraries and cultural centres
Bookstores and stationers
Media
Museums
Galleries
Movie theatres
Theatre
Discotheques and night clubs
Cultural events
Sports
Beaches

EXPLORING SENEGAL
Places to visit in Dakar
Places to visit outside Dakar

RELIGION
Churches
Mosques

THE CANADIAN COMMUNITY IN SENEGAL
Private companies
Public institutions
NGOs
International organizations
Universities

USEFUL NUMBERS
National organizations

DISTANCE FROM DAKAR TO...

Sixth edition (2001)

Drafting and updating
Evelyne Sylva

Typesetting and printing
Graphi Plus

Acknowledgements
We wish to express our deep gratitude to Marie-Claude Diallo and Alioune Diop Seck for their work on the contents of this guide. They spared no effort in reviewing the draft and helping to check information. We also wish to thank Anne Gaudet, Christian Baillargeon-Côté and Angélique Barrot for their advice and the invaluable contact information that they provided.

Next update: 2003

INTRODUCTION

Dalal ak diam! Welcome! The legendary Senegalese téranga (or "hospitality" in Wolof) certainly lives up to its reputation. The more you come in contact with it, the better your stay will be, whatever its duration. The Senegalese are the result of an intermingling of peoples and cultures over the ages, and they consider it a point of honour to give foreigners a warm welcome, wherever they are--Dakar, Tambacounda, St-Louis, Kaolack, Thiès, Mbour, Ziguinchor, etc.--foreigners really feel at home. The Senegalese do not view foreigners as people to be mistrusted or avoided. On the contrary, they are eager to get to know you better and introduce you to their country, its rich culture, its food, its values and its languages.

Senegal is a country where culture and tolerance reign, a haven of peace on a continent beset by conflict, and an example of democracy in action. Since the change in government in February 2000, it has been going though extensive changes and making considerable progress. Canadian citizens coming to Senegal for the first time to visit or work have an opportunity to make their stay an enriching personal and professional experience. We have been producing the Practical Guide to Dakar for a number of yearsas a means of helping Canadians settle in and making their stay as productive as possible. The Guide is now in its sixth edition. Its content and format have changed from one edition to the next, but not its objective, which is to help new arrivals discover the capital city of Senegal by providing them with practical information and useful advice on accommodations, travel, shopping and entertainment--in short, on how to get on with life here.

As in the case of its predecessors, the sixth edition contains an update of information on services, addresses and telephone numbers and continues to provide advice on health and safety. In addition, it covers such topics as the political and administrative organization of Senegal, tourist attractions, cultural events and typical Senegalese dishes; our aim here is to help new arrivals as much as possible to discover and appreciate to the full their new living and working environment. You will also find the map of Dakar and the page for personal notes particularly useful.

We hope that the Practical Guide to Dakar will help you to settle in more quickly, and we take this opportunity to wish you a pleasant stay.

We will be pleased to provide you with further information and to receive your comments and suggestions on expanding or improving the Guide.

Enjoy reading it!

Evelyne Sylva
Communications Adviser

THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN SENEGAL

Address
45, boul. de la République
B.P. 3373 Dakar,
Tel.: (221) 889-4700 fax: (221) 889-4720
E-mail:dakar@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Website: www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/dakar

Office hours Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Ambassador H.E.Mr.DenisThibault

General Relations Section
This section is responsible for political and economic relations, public and cultural affairs and press relations in Senegal and the Embassy's other countries of accreditation (Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Cape Verde).

Commercial Section
The role of this section is to promote and protect Canadian economic interests in the five countries of accreditation. It helps Canadian companies targeting these markets to determine the potential for exporting their products, services and technologies or making investments.

Visa Service
The Embassy is responsible for issuing visitor and student visas to citizens of the five countries of accreditation. It provides visitor visas for stays of less than six months and student authorizations and visas. People can submit their visa applications on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The Embassy receives but does not process applications for employment authorization and returning resident permits. Applicants must fill out the appropriate forms, which are available at the Dakar office. Their application, along with their application for immigration, is then forwarded to the Canadian Embassy in Abidjan for processing.

Head of General Relations and Public Affairs Section, Commercial Section and Visa Service: Daniel Tremblay

Administrative Services Section
This section manages the real and other property of Canadian staff and the Chancery. It also manages the salaries of Embassy staff, investments and local staff.

Consular Section
The Consular Section is open Tuesday and Thursday, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It issues the following documents: citizenship certificates, attestations in lieu of police record, relocation certificates, certified copies of documents, Canadian passports, and diplomatic notes to assist in obtaining visas for countries bordering on Senegal. It also provides Canadian and Australian citizens with emergency and evacuation assistance. A nurse is available at the Embassy on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Head of Administrative Services Section and Consular section: Élise Forget

Cooperation Section

The Cooperation Section represents the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and plays a threefold role. First, its field officers are responsible for providing input for and influencing planning, monitoring and follow-up of programs and projects in the field by providing reports and establishing and maintaining contacts. Second, they represent CIDA in dealing with the authorities of Senegal and the countries of accreditation. Third, they serve as contact points in these countries for all the development partners (financial backers, NGOs, civil society, private sector, etc.) And represent CIDA within sectoral consultation and cooperation bodies.

Head of Cooperation Section: Guy Mercier

CANADIAN COOPERATION SUPPORT UNIT (BACC)

Address
44, boul. de la République
Dakar
Tel.: (221) 849-7749
Fax: (221) 822-1307
E-mail: bacdi@bacdi-senegal.org

Office hours
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a lunch break from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Director Anne Gaudet

The BACC is a CIDA office established to support Canadian cooperation in Senegal. In order to meet the needs of a variety of clients (CIDA head-office and field officers, representatives of Canadian NGOs, visiting consultants, representatives of Canadian executing agencies and private companies, Senegalese government and civil society officials), it provides a broad range of professional, administrative and logistical services.

1. Professional services

Resources. The main role of the BACC's human resources (advisers and consultants) is to assist in the planning, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of Canadian cooperation projects in Senegal. Projects cover the following fields: decentralization, basis education, natural resources, the private sector, the gender and development approach and health, and communications.

The unit's outputs are reports, sectoral reporting, briefing notes on specific issues, activity sector evaluations, and political, economic and social analyses.

Information/communication. The unit publishes a quarterly magazine, Le Castor sahélien, to disseminate information on Canada's cooperation programs in Senegal. Its readership includes Canadian aid workers, Senegalese government officials and members of the public, and the business community and universities in Canada. Le Castor sahélien also serves as a newsletter for aid workers, providing information on social and cultural events for the Canadian community in Senegal. In addition, the BACC publishes a general information document called the Sommaire de l'aide canadienne au Sénégal [Summary of Canadian cooperation in Senegal], which describes the various Canadian projects underway in the host country, as well as a number of brochures on the cooperation program and the scholarship program, the Local Development Fund and BACC services. For Canadians who have just arrived in Senegal, the unit provides an awareness and information program covering the country's political, economic, social and cultural situation. All these products and services are free of charge. A web site is under construction.

Documentation. The unit's documentation centre is designed to meet its clients' needs by providing in-house resources (databases and databanks), research services and referral to other local documentation sources. The centre's services are free of charge.

Canadian scholarship programs. The BACC coordinates the Canadian Fellowship program for French-speaking Countries and the Marine Scholarship Program, providing information to students and scholarship/fellowship administrators and conducting a follow-up on candidates for administrative purposes.

2. Administrative and logistical services

The unit provides management and accounting advice and assistance for bilateral program projects, particularly those under the Local Development Fund.

Other services. Services and costs are as follows:

Airport pick-up and drop-off
Arrivals: 6000 CFA francs / Departures: 6000 CFA francs

Vehicle rental

Rates include the cost of a driver from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) and from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Wednesday). You can continue to use the vehicle after working hours for 1500 CFA francs per additional hour worked by the driver.

Photocopies
Fewer than 500 copies
single-sided: 50 CFA francs; double-sided: 75 CFA francs

More than 500 copies
single-sided: 40 CFA francs; double-sided: 60 CFA francs

Telecommunications
Telephone and fax : Sonatel rates
Receiving fax : 100 CFA francs/page
Receiving E-mail : 100 CFA francs/page
Sending E-mail : 250 CFA francs/page
Sending fax : Sonatel rates
Flat rate
for internet consultation : 1,000 CFA francs/hour

Cellular phone rental
1^st week : 10,000 CFA francs/week + a credit of 5,000 CFA francs
Starting the 2^nd week : 5,000 CFA francs

Conditions: Time minimum: 1 week. When the credit of 5,000 CFA francs has been used up, the user has to buy a new card at the BACC. No reimbursement will be issued for the credit that has not been used. In case of loss or robbery, the user will have to reimburse the value of the equipment and the 15,000 CFA francs for the subscription.

Office rental
Day : 10,000 CFA francs
Week : 50,000 CFA francs
Month : 150,000 CFA francs

Meeting room and equipment rental

Secretarial services
Word processing: 1000 CFA francs/page
Printing: 50 CFA francs/page

Hotel reservations and airplane ticket confirmations are free of charge.

Note: It is mandatory that all invoices be settled in CFA francs.

ABOUT SENEGAL

History

Excavations of many archeological sites have shown that human beings have been living in Senegal since the Paleolithic Era. Unearthed funeral monuments (tumuli) were found to contain human bones, tools, jewellery and other objects from a variety of historical periods.

Up to the IX century: The region was dominated by a succession of peoples, apparently from the Maghreb and then from Sudan, which had already been converted to Islam. Start of conversion to Islam with the invasion by the Almoravids.
X-XI centuries: Small kingdoms that had become established along the Senegal River and had converted to Islam, such as the Tekrour kingdom around Podor, struck alliances with the Almoravides, paving the way for Islam to make inroads at the expense of animism. As a result, peoples fled south: for example, the Serer moved into the Sine Saloum region and the Wolof into the western part, which in the XIV century would become the Djolof kingdom.
XII-XIV centuries: Trade grew in all regions. The new empire of Mali extended its reach westward into areas where the Mandingo built other kingdoms both north and south of the Gambia River.
XVII-XVIII centuries: The slave trade assumed even greater proportions with the arrival of the French and English on the scene. Saint-Louis and Gorée were the main slave trade centres. In Senegal, however, European interests centred on gum arabic.
XIX century: A campaign was launched to abolish slavery on the west coast. As a result, a law was passed on March 29, 1815, abolishing it. However, the law did not come into force in the French empire until 1848, after the British had already taken action. The Arabs took over the slave trade on the east coast of Africa.
XX century: Senegal became independent in April 1960. Léopold Sédar Senghor became the first president de la Federation of Mali, which fell part a few months later. Abdou Diouf succeeded Senghor in 1980. He held power for 20 years before giving way to President Abdoulaye Wade in the presidential election of February 2000.

Key dates in history
1659 : Saint-Louis founded by the French
1697 : Gorée taken over from Holland by the French
1854-65 : Expansionism policy carried out by General Faidherbe. The whole region is conquered by about 1890
1895 : Dakar becomes the administrative centre of French West Africa, and Senegal acquires special status. Peanut production is given priority under French rule.
1958 : Senegal becomes an autonomous republic within the French Community
1959-60 : Senegal forms a short-lived federation with Mali
1982-89 : It forms the Senegambian confederation with the Gambia
2000 : A coalition wins the election and brings an end to the 40-year reign of the Socialist Party

Geography

Relief
Located between the Sahel, which is advancing on its northern frontier, and the vast Guinean forest to the south, Senegal shares the characteristics of both these regions. Extending over an area of 196,722 square kilometres, it borders on Mauritania to the north, on Mali to the east and on Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. Its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean. Its topography is that of a vast plain rarely exceeding 100 metres in altitude. Only the Mamelles in Dakar (105 m) and the cliffs in the southeast can be considered elevations of any consequence. Five rivers slowly snake their way across the country: the Senegal (1700 km), the Gambia, the Sine, the Saloum and the Casamance. The source of all five is the Fouta Djalon, in Guinea. The Atlantic coastline is 700 km long, with a deepwater port at Dakar. Located both north and south of the lower part of the Gambia River, the Gambia is a 10,300-square-kilometre enclave bordered by Senegal on all sides.

Climate
It is hot all year round and the sun shines brightly almost every day. There are two main seasons: a dry season from October to June, with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 27°C, and a rainy season from June to October, with average temperatures between 30°C and 36°C.

Population
Senegal had an estimated 8.7 million in 1998. It is a relatively young population, with nearly 58% of inhabitants under the age of 20. The population is unevenly scattered across the country: the national density is 34 inhabitants per km², but it ranges from 2710 inhabitants per km² in Dakar to 6 per km² in Tambacounda. In 1993, the population breakdown was 60% rural and 40% urban.

Ethnic groups
There are about twenty ethnic groups in Senegal. The largest are the Wolof (43.7%), the Haalpulaar, comprising the Tukulor and the Peul (23.2%), the Serer (18%), the Mandingo, the Bassari (3.5%), and the Diola and the other ethnic groups in the southern part of the country (4.7 %).

Religions
The population breakdown is 90% Muslim and 10% Christian and animist.

Official and national languages
French is the official language, but there are several national languages: Diola, Malinke, Peul, Serer, Soninke and Wolof. Promoting these languages in the schools is now a national priority.

Regions
Senegal is divided up administratively into 11 regions and 35 departments. All the regions bear the names of their regional capitals: Dakar, Thiès, Diourbel, Louga, Saint-Louis, Fatick, Tambacounda, Kaolack, Kolda, Ziguinchor and Matam.

Main cities

Dakar, the capital, is a cosmopolitan city. Just under two million people live in Dakar and its environs. It covers only 0.28% of the country's surface area but accounts for 22% of its total population. It was founded by the French in 1857 at the site of a fishing village. Its importance as a trading centre started to grow in 1885 with the establishment of a rail link with the city of Saint-Louis on the Senegal River. Dakar is the political, administrative, economic and cultural centre of Senegal. It is built around a magnificent deepwater basin--the reason for the city's emergence as a major port in the 1860s.

Thiès (70 km from Dakar, 320,000 inhabitants ) is called the railway capital because it is home to the Senegal railway corporation, or Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Sénégal (SNCS). The city was made famous by Ousmane Sembène's novel Les bouts de bois de Dieu, which tells the story of the Dakar-Niger corporation railway workers' strike in the 1940s. It is regarded as the cradle of Senegalese trade unionism and is also known for its intense political activity. Thiès specializes in livestock markets and meat packing and has aluminum phosphate deposits.

Saint-Louis (264 km from Dakar, 180,000 inhabitants) was the first capital of Senegal. Like Rufisque and Gorée, it has retained its colonial style. The architecture of the houses and the street names hark back to the colonial period. It seems to be a somewhat inward-looking city standing at the crossroads that lead to either grandeur or decline. It is still a sea port and a hub of commercial and transportation activity in the Senegal River basin. The French founded the city in 1638 and built a fortified trading post there. The post is one of the oldest ones built by Europeans in West Africa. From 1885 to 1902, Saint-Louis was the capital of French West Africa , and from 1902 to 1958 it was the capital of both Senegal and Mauritania.

Political and administrative organization
Senegal achieved independence on April 4, 1960, after more than one hundred years of French rule. In February 2000, a new party was elected to power. After 40 years in government, the Socialist Party (Ps) gave up power to the Democratic Party (Pds). After a quarter of a century in opposition and several unsuccessful attempts to win election to the presidency, Abdoulaye Wadewas was elected to serve a seven-year, renewable term, winning an absolute majority of the votes cast. In January 2000, the country voted for a new constitution in a referendum. The current political system is a presidency, with the Prime Minister being responsible for implementing policies set by the President of the Republic. In April 2001, early legislative elections led to a new National Assembly (Parliament), with 120 members representing seven political parties. Most of the members (89) belong to parties supporting the President (the Sopi coalition currently in power).

The economy
The vast majority of the population (70% of the labour force) is engaged in agriculture, and primarily in subsistence farming. However, fishing, tourism, peanuts and phosphates are the country's main sources of exports and foreign currency. Industries around Dakar are based on the processing of peanuts (oil), phosphates (fertilizer) and fish (packing), textile manufacturing (cotton), pharmaceuticals, and farm and transportation equipment assembly and repair. France is by far Senegal's largest trading partner.

SENEGAL-CANADA COMPARATIVE DATA

Sources:
Statistics Canada

Human Development Report, UNDP, 2001

Holidays
New Year's Day (January 1), Independence Day (April 4), Easter, Labour Day (May 1), Ascension Day, Pentecost, Christmas (December 25), All Saints' Day, Assumption, Korité* (end of Ramadan, the Muslim lent), Tabaski* (commemoration of sacrifice of Abraham), Tamxarit* (Muslim New Year), and Maouloud*(commemoration of birth of the prophet Mohammed).

Other religious events
The Magal in Touba (194 km from Dakar and seat of the Mouride brotherhood) commemorates the start of the exile of the brotherhood's founder, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba. The Gamou in Tivaouane (92 km from Dakar) is a celebration of the birth of the prophet Mohammed. The Christian pilgrimage to Poponguine (71 km from Dakar) takes place on the Monday of Pentecost.

* The date of Muslim religious events varies.

Some tips
Senegalese conversational conventions may be long, tedious, even gratuitous, but they are a major ingredient of social relationships in this country, as in most parts of Africa. Asking a Senegalese person a question or requesting a service without first greeting them or shaking their hand would be incomprehensible and unacceptable. So don't forget to greet people; it will help you to settle into life here more easily. Here are some fixed conversational phrases in Wolof, the most widely spoken language:

Assalam-alaykoum : Peace be with you (to say hello)
Malaykoum-salam : And also with you
Nanga dèf? : How are you?
Mangifi rek : I'm fine!
Dieuredief : Thank you

Senegalese French vocabulary
The Senegalese do not only have trouble with the French accent of Canadians, and specifically Quebeckers; people also find some Canadian expressions confusing or just laughable. At the same time, Canadians will have difficulty with many local words and expressions.

Some examples:
arriérer : reculer de position sociale/lose social standing
bana-bana : marchand ambulant/street vendor
démerder : se débrouiller/manage
durer : rester longtemps dans un endroit/stay a long time in a place
gâter : casser, détériorer, abîmer/break, damage
patron ou chef : monsieur/Sir
radio cancan : rumeur publique/rumour
saboter : se moquer de quelqu'un, taquiner/laugh at, tease someone
toubab : blanc, européen/White, European

Security
The incidence of physical assaults is on the rise, and foreign residents and tourists are targeted just as much and Senegalese people. For your own safety, you should follow the rules below:

• Do not carry a great deal of cash with you.
• Always have photocopies of your official identification documents.
• Do not wear gold or silver jewellery when strolling in the city or visiting the suburbs.
• In the downtown area, on public transit, and in lineups, keep an eye on your pockets and purse.
• Especially in the evening, do not walk alone on the beaches or in places where there are few people (crafts village, Soumbédioune, Petite Corniche, Place de l'Indépendance)
• Lock your car doors and keep your windows closed at all times: certain traffic light locations in the city have become dangerous, with thugs assaulting motorists.
• Be firm, but not insolent or rude, with street vendors from whom you do not plan to buy anything.
• Be very careful with food products, cosmetics and clothes sold on the street. The products may be rotten or spoiled and the clothes second-hand.

GETTING SETTLED

Procedures upon arrival in Senegal

• Get your name on the list of Canadian nationals maintained by the Embassy's Consular Services Section, so that the Embassy can contact and assist you in an emergency or evacuation.
• Apply for a foreign national identity card, which is mandatory for anyone staying for more than six months and is renewable every year. If you lose it, you should report it to the police or gendarmerie and request to make a lost card declaration.

Obtaining a foreign national identity card

• The card is issued on the basis of a personal file, the contents of which vary with the profession of the applicant. Some items do, however, seem to be required in all cases. Aid workers should have the following:
• an official document certifying that you are involved in a project under the framework cooperation agreement. The Embassy will issue the document to you for C$50 or the equivalent in CFA francs;
• an application for a foreign national identity card, submitted to the Minister of the Interior with a tax stamp for 2000 CFA francs;
• a passport;
• four photos;
• birth certificate;
• a medical examination certificate;
• a character and behaviour reference provided by the Embassy.

You apply for your card at the offices of the Police des étrangers, Place de l'Indépendance. The same documents will be required for your partner (if he or she works, attach the contract) and for children over 15 years of age (submit official statement of academic attainment).

Housing
There are a number of real estate agencies in Dakar that can give you information on what is available. Word of mouth, classified ads, and bulletin boards in stores are other sources of information on housing.

Before you sign a lease, you should

• inspect the state of repair of the prospective place of residence
• check with the owner whether there are any outstanding water or electricity bills
• ask the owner to install a water reservoir if the district suffers frequent interruptions in supply
• make sure that the owner is responsible for making major repairs
• insist on the diplomatic staff clause be included in the lease, since it provides for one month's moving notice. Then, if you break the contract or have to return to Canada in an emergency, legal action will not be taken against you as the renter and you will not have to pay taxes or damages.

The renter is liable under civil law for accidental or wilful damage to the rental property. You should take out theft and fire insurance.

Selected real estate agencies:

N.B.: There are SDE and SENELEC offices in a number of districts in Dakar.

Becoming a water and electricity subscriber
To get water supply, go to an SDE office with the discharge notice from the previous occupant (SDE document certifying that there are no arrears), a deposit in the amount of 8761 CFA francs, two tax stamps (4000 CFA francs), and the lease contract. Invoices are paid every two months.

N.B.: Always check whether the previous renter's invoices have been paid.
For electricity supply, go to the SENELEC office with the meter number and a residence permit or consular card. You will have to fill out a subscription application and specify the number of electrical appliances used. Subscription costs depend on total electrical power of the appliances and will be at least 17,000 CFA francs (fridge, 10 amps, television and fan). Some of the costs will be refunded when you move. Invoices are paid every two months. The price per KWh depends on the total power of the appliances.

N.B.: You must pay your bills on time; otherwise, your water or electricity supply will be cut off. You should also keep all receipts in case of disputes.

Gas
You can find gas at gas stations, grocery stores, department stores and small shops. A 12-kg cylinder costs 5500 CFA francs (+ deposit), a 6-kg cylinder, 1500 CFA francs, and a 3-kg one, 700 CFA francs.

N.B.: Make sure that there are no leaks in the cylinder and be very careful transporting it.

Telephone service
The Société nationale de télécommunications (Sonatel) handles telephone service subscriptions. The corporation has a number of branches in Dakar and telecentres in nearly all districts of the city, where you can make long-distance calls and send and receive fax and telex messages.

To become a subscriber, go to the Agence commerciale des télécommunications de la Médina, av. Malick Sy X Blaise Diagne, and fill out an application form. Telephone service installation fees are about 45,000 CFA francs.

Check with the appropriate services whether the number you are being offered is the subject of legal proceedings. Sonatel often refuses to reconnect a line if the previous renter or the owner has not paid outstanding invoices. You may have to wait months, even years, before getting service, in which case you have to decide whether to move or remain patient until the problem is solved.

Association des Universités partiellement ou entièrement de langue française (Aupelf-Uref)

Corniche Ouest
Tel.: 824 29 27/825 35 65

Postal service
There are a number of post offices in Dakar. Airmail delivery is generally good: normally, delivery time between Dakar and Montreal is one week. Post offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, with a break from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, with a break from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

To get a post-office box, submit a written application to the postmaster of the branch of your choice. The subscription fee is 6600 CFA francs a year. You can access your box outside business hours.

Parcels
When a parcel has arrived for you, you will receive a notice and you go to the post office with a piece of identification. You will have to pay tax in the amount of 1000 CFA francs, and additional costs are possible, depending on the type of parcel.

Dakar-Peytavin Post Office
Av.Peytavin x Roosevelt

Household staff

Hiring
It is easy to find household staff in Dakar. Generally, new arrivals hire the staff of departing aid workers. You should, however, ask for letters of reference from previous employers. Here are some places where cleaning women can be hired:

Hiring procedures
There is a general information brochure on conditions of employment for household staff (cleaning woman, boy, guard, cook). It gives the various employment categories and types of leave (illness, family events, etc.). The brochure is entitled Conditions générales d'emploi des domestiques et gens de maison [General conditions of employment for domestics and other household staff] and is available from the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Dakar. In addition, the "Aux Quatre vents" bookstore sells the Convention collective nationale inter-professionnelle du Sénégal [National inter-professional collective agreement] (chauffeurs and other trades).

N.B.: You should declare and register employees with the Caisse de sécurité sociale (CSS) [Social security office] and the Institution de prévoyance retraite (IPRES) [Retirement benefits institute].

To do so, you must

• buy "Mouvement du travailleur" declaration forms (four copies per employee) at the Clairafrique bookstore (Rue Docteur Thèze x Rue Sandiniéry - tel. 822 21 69) or at the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Dakar (1, place de l'Indépendance, tel.: 823 71 89).
• fill them out and file them with the employment office (near the Hypersam supermarket)
• wait for employee to receive a number (or be registered)
• go to the Caisse de Sécurité sociale and the IPRES.

Caisse de sécurité sociale (CSS)
All contributions are paid by the employer (8% of wages). This provides employees with accident and health insurance and family benefits.
CSS address:
Opposite the offices of the Social Party, near the Colobane roundabout. Tel.: 823 41 41

Institution de prévoyance retraite (IPRES)
The employee's contribution is taken off the wages and shown on the pay record (5.6%). The employer's contribution is 8.4%. The retirement age is 55 years.
IPRES address:
Av. Léopold S. Senghor, opposite the Société générale des banques du Sénégal. Tel.: 839 91 91

Salaries
Pay depends on the type of work, the number of hours worked, and whether the employee gets room and board. Check with the other aid workers to see what they pay. Employees are entitled to one day off per week, and the maximum number of actual hours of work per day is eight.

It is a common practice to give employees a gift, preferably money, on major religious holidays. You can buy pay receipts (bulletins de paie) at the Clairafrique bookstore. You should fill them out when you pay employees.

N.B.: it is advisable to give your employees nivaquine (or chloroquine) tablets and medication for worms on a regular basis.

SUPPLIES

Electrical appliances and electronic equipment

You will find these items in stores around Sandaga and on the avenues Lamine Guèye and Pompidou. The stores include

Arts and Crafts; decorative arts

Céramiques Almadies (permanent showcase and sale of glazed earthenware plates, vases and bracelets)
Route des Almadies
Tel.: 820 03 38

Atelier Nylanou (arts and crafts, designs, frames, lamps, flower arrangements, etc.)
13, rue Wagane Diouf
Tel.: 822 27 18

Galerie Sarata (traditional jewellery, carpets, woven breechcloth, masks, pottery)
9, rue Mass Diokhané
Tel.: 822 03 37

Galerie Antenna (masks, jewellery, coasters, sculptures)
9, rue Félix Faure
Tel.: 822.17.51

Galerie Arte
Tel.: 821.95.56

Beauty care

Butcheries and delicatessens

Gifts
Docteur Stylo (sales and repair of pens and lighters--engraving)
10, rue Huart (opposite Score Sarraut)
Tel.: 822 45 61

Au P'tit Bonheur (crockery, gifts, wrought iron, garden furniture, light fixtures, etc.)
10, rue Ramez Bourgi (opposite Buhan Teisseire)
Tel.: 822 39 61

Frames and framing
Le coin du cadre Brico Decor
54, rue Raffenel Ave Lamine Guye
Tel.: 821 54 77

Coffee (whole bean and ground)
Cafés du Cameroun
Rue, El Hadji Mbaye Guèye x Vincens

Leather and repairs
CAM
(restoration of leather goods, bags, suitcases, shoe care, shoe making from model)
61, rue Moussé Diop
Tel.: 821.67.53

Florists

Cheese

Garages

Department stores
There are a few department stores scattered across the city. They generally carry quality food and beauty care products. The most popular are:

Markets

Sandaga
Located in the heart of Dakar, it is open every day. Every type of fresh, dried and canned food and arts and crafts are sold there. Around the market are shops run by Senegalese and Lebanese selling fabrics, travel articles, hardware, electrical appliances, crockery and cosmetics. It is advisable not to shop there after nightfall because of the risk of assaults.

Kermel
It is smaller than Sandaga market and is patronized mainly by Europeans. It has a reputation for charging more than the other markets, but the higher prices are justified because of the excellent quality of its fresh, dried and canned food products.

Kermel is a beautiful market because of its architecture, but it is also distinctive because of its antique and souvenir shops and florists. Other shops (including some selling Vietnamese and Chinese products), grocery stores, butchers' shops and delicatessens are located in the colonial homes built around the market square.

At Kermel and at Sandaga, porters (commonly known as "porter madame") will hold your basket while you shop and carry your purchases to your car for very little money.

Tilène
Located in the heart of the district of Médina (old colonial town), it sells just about everything, but especially local and other African products and fruit at very reasonable prices. It also sells books, magazines, used newspapers and even office supplies at lower prices than in the stores. In the side streets you will find arts and crafts, basket makers, second-hand clothing shops, and spice, fabric and cosmetics vendors. The customers are mainly Africans.

Soumbédioune
This market is located 3 km from downtown, on the ocean, not far from the craftsmen's village of the same name. The best time to go there is in the evening around 5:00 p.m., as the fishing boats, called pirogues, are coming back to shore, because then you can find fresh seafood that the vendors will clean for you on the spot. Bargaining is a must.

Casamance
Located along the dock used by the boat Le Joola, which provides a sea link between Dakar and Ziguinchor, it sells all kinds of products from the Casamance region, seasonal fruits and vegetables, shrimps and dried fish, honey, and palm oil (delivered by boat at 4:40 a.m. Mondays and Fridays and unloaded one hour later).

HLM
This market specializes in fabrics, offering a wide variety of materials from Asia, Africa and Europe as well as bedding, toiletries and cosmetics, foods products, crockery and hardware.

Station
At the station market you will find products from Mali such as karité butter, Bogolan cloth, earthenware products, incense, pearls and necklaces.

Antique and second-hand furniture

Notions
Kaddoura (embroidery, patterns, fleece, lampshades, embroidered names, wool, crocheting and knitting wool)
40, rue Dr Thèze
Tel.: 821 63 54

Islima (buttons, lace, thread)
Rue de Thiong

Crockery (tin, enamel, plastic, ceramic, porcelain)
Around Sandaga market

Clothing, fabrics and shoes
You will find these items in the many shops around Sandaga market, on Lamine Guèye and Pompidou avenues, and in the various markets. Custom tailoring and dressmaking are very popular in Senegal and is usually cheaper than buying clothes off the rack. You will find many tailors and dressmakers in all parts of Dakar; in the downtown area, Rue Mohamed V is the main location.

If you are looking for African fabrics, here are the addresses of some well-known designers who created clothing out of such materials as basin, traditional woven breechcloth and wax. They offer a wide range of Western-cut clothes (dresses, skirt sets, suits, pant suits), African-style clothes, tablecloths and bed sheets.

For children up to 14 years of age

Furniture fabrics
Shops are located on Lamine Guèye, Pompidou and Blaise Diagne avenues.

N.B.: Under some contracts, you can buy some appliances and equipment duty-free. However, you must buy them during the first six months of your stay, starting from the date on your personal effects customs clearance form.

HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS

Hotels
Dakar is home to about forty hotels with two- to five-star ratings and a range of services (restaurant, bar, pool, discotheque, air conditioning, conference rooms, tennis courts). Credit cards are generally accepted.

Price range

1-star: 6,000 to 15,000 CFA francs
2-star: 15,000 to 20,000 CFA francs
3-star: 20,000 to 40,000 CFA francs
4-star: 40,000 to 50,000 CFA francs
5-star: 50,000 and up

Restaurants
Selected Senegalese dishes

tiébou dienne: rice, fish and vegetables.
yassa: grilled fish or chicken marinated in lemon with chopped onion, served with white rice.
mafé: beef cooked in peanut oil and served with white rice. tiébou yap: rice and meat with vegetables or a mustard and olive sauce.

The sale of juices made from local fruit has been promoted under a "buy Senegalese" policy. Among the most popular juices are bissap (red or white), which is an extract resulting from decoction of rosella blossoms; ginger, resulting from decoction of ginger roots; tamarin (or dakhar), from decoction of the fruit of the tamarind tree; bouye, from a decoction of the fruit of the baobab, known as "pain de singe" (monkey bread); and ditakh, from a decoction of an acid-tasting green fruit.

These juices are thirst-quenching, very rich in vitamin C, and cheaper than imported fruit juices and soft drinks.

Restaurants offer a wide variety of French, Italian, Senegalese, Chinese and other international dishes, and the decor is usually attractive and sometimes delightfully romantic, as in the case of restaurants on the waterfront or in the shady courtyards of homes.

International cuisine by the ocean

International cuisine on the plateau

African cuisine

Asian cuisine

Bakeries and tea rooms

Bistros, bars

*** Expensive ** Medium price range * Inexpensive

(c) Canadian owner

Hours of business: lunch from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 or 11:00 p.m.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Currency
Senegal belongs to the Franc Zone, where the CFA franc is the unit of currency. The equivalent with the French franc and with the Euro is: 100 CFA francs = 1 French franc = 0,15 Euro. $1 cdn dollar was the equivalent of 488.31 CFA franc the day this guide was written.

You can exchange currency at all banks, the airport, and some of the major hotels. Since the January 1994 devaluation of the CFA franc, banks have been applying a 2% service charge for over-the-counter exchanges between French and CFA francs.

Credit cards
Visa is the one most widely used, but you can also use American Express, Master Card and Cirrus in banks.To withdraw money with your American Express card, go to Sénégal Tours (5, place de l'Indépendance, tel.: 823 38 38) with the following items:

• your passport,
• your American Express card,
• a personal cheque from your bank in Canada in the amount of the transaction (plus 1%).

N.B. You can withdraw money with Cirrus card and Master Card at the CBAO counter. With your Visa Card you can withdraw money at the following banks: BICIS, CBAO, SGBS, Crédit Lyonnais. A bank account (cheque) is necessary.

Banks

TRANSPORTATION

Travelling by road in Senegal
Senegal's highway code is based on the French one. You therefore have to give priority to traffic coming from your right. That being said, you must above all be alert and cautious when driving, because the roads are narrow, certain types of vehicles, including express buses and taxis, do not obey road signs, and pedestrians and animals cross the road recklessly. If you are involved in an accident, you must stop and call the gendarmerie or the police immediately. Be wary of accepting an informal accident report or damages offered privately by another party. If you have hurt someone, you should get the injured person to the closest hospital before going to the gendarmerie or police.

Vehicle insurance is mandatory (see insurance companies).

The police require the following documents when conducting checks and inspections:

• driver's license: Canadian, international or French. We strongly suggest that you obtain an international driving permit in Canada. You can renew it by mail annually.
• certificate of insurance (yellow form, renewable annually).
• grey card or temporary form for vehicle.
• registration stamp (renewable annually).
• technical inspection for vehicle over three years old (renewable annually),
• temporary admission form for "TT" (temporary admission) vehicles (renewable annually).

Tip: Go to the police and have them certify photocopies of all documents relating to your vehicle. You can keep the originals at home. You should own your own vehicle while you are in Senegal. However, purchasing one is a complicated matter and usually takes at least a month.

Privately owned vehicle

Procedure for purchasing a "TT" (temporary admission) vehicle.

New vehicle:

• Note characteristics, chassis number, engine number, etc.
• Fill out temporary admission application forms, including vehicle characteristics and the name of your customs clearance agent, and then give them to customs along with the agreement proving exemption.
• Once the forms are approved by customs, give them to your customs clearance agent, who will issue you a notice of temporary admission through direct import or private bonded warehouse (pink form, journal format). The notice must be certified by customs at the port of Dakar. The process will take at least a week. The customs clearance agent will charge 160,000 to 180,000 CFA francs.
• Contact an insurance company for appropriate insurance. We recommend that you take out insurance covering civil liability, fire, theft, broken glass, legal defence and claims (legal assistance), family and passengers.
• Give an original of the insurance certificate to the dealer to obtain the grey card (yellow form).
• Fill out the form "Déclaration de mise en circulation d'un véhicule" [Vehicle operation declaration].
• Bring to the dealer the documents given to you by the customs clearance agent, a copy of the insurance certificate and the vehicle operation declaration. The dealer will then make arrangements for obtaining a grey card from the Service des Mines and will have to provide originals of the following documents:
• vehicle operation declaration, signed by purchaser;
• original of insurance certificate(yellow form);
• original of customs clearance form for tax- and duty-exempt vehicle (pink form);
• vehicle description form;
• certificate of compliance.

The Service des Mines will issue a temporary certificate to be used until the grey card is issued. The certificate is valid for two months. After that, it will be necessary to go back to the Service des Mines to obtain the grey card or an extension on the temporary admission certificate.

You may have to do this yourself. The Service des Mines in Dakar is located on the Route de Rufisque, between S.C.O.A. Auto and the Colobane bridge. Its telephone number is 832 08 55.

The dealer will obtain and install the vehicle plates. Registration costs about 40,000 CFA francs.

N.B.:

1. To get a new, one-year temporary admission certificate, you have to apply to customs for certificate renewal authorization and show them the current certificate and the grey card.
2. You have to obtain the new registration stamp early in the year (January-March). By submitting their project agreement, aid workers are granted payment exemption. They are issued with an "exonération de vignette" [stamp exemption] if the agreement provides for this type of exemption. If it does not, you can obtain the stamp (annual tax stamp) from the Domaines et Impôts office on Rue Thiong, opposite the gendarmerie, or on Boulevard Djily Mbaye, opposite Dakar city hall. The cost is about 20,000 CFA francs.

Pre-owned vehicle

The procedure for temporary admission of a pre-owned vehicle is basically the same as for a new one.

Note the following differences, however:

• If you purchase a pre-owned vehicle, make sure that you have a proper sales certificate or contract and that the former owner has obtained temporary admission sale authorization from the Direction des recettes douanières [Tax revenue branch].
• You do not have to fill out the vehicle operation declaration.

Bringing a vehicle from Canada

• Follow the same procedure, but obtain a "passe avant" (operating permit to cover you until the temporary admission certificate is issued) by filling out the appropriate application form and including with it a photocopy of the Canadian provincial registration permit.

International driving permit

The chamber of commerce, located on the Place de l'Indépendance, will issue an international driving permit upon submission of a provincial permit, 15,000 CFA.francs and 3 photographs.

Technical inspection

Cars three years old or more must undergo a technical inspection every year to check whether they are in good condition. You have to purchase a tax stamp for 2000 CFA francs and go to the Service des Mines in Dakar. You will be informed of any repairs that are required. Once they have been done, you will receive a certificate, which is valid for one year.

Insurance

Vehicle insurance is mandatory. You can get a 20% reduction in insurance costs if you submit your Canadian insurance record showing no accidents during the period covered by the policy.

Selected insurance companies

Fuel

In Senegal, the high-test gasoline sell for 514 CFA francs (incl. tax) a litre at the pump

(approx. $1.10); diesel, for 337 CFA francs (incl. tax).

Vehicle rental
There are a number of agencies from which you can rent a vehicle with or without a chauffeur. Here are some of them:

Taxis, bus, car rapides

Taxis

They are yellow or orange and black. The fare is indicated on the taximeter. In recent years, it has been possible to engage in waxalé (bargaining) with taxi drivers--propose a fixed price for the ride. Waxalé is not recommended for short distances (except in heavy traffic); it will probably be cheaper to stick with the taximeter reading. It is recommended, however, for longer distances, particularly since some drivers will have no compunction about taking a roundabout route to your destination because you are a foreigner and do not know the city.

Fares:

Basic fare : 100 CFA francs
Ride in city : 100 CFA francs/km
Ride outside Dakar : 200 CFA francs/km
Taximeter: day A1/green, night B2/red.

Fares double between midnight and 6:00 a.m. A ride between the airport and downtown costs 3000 CFA francs during the day and 4700 CFA francs at night.

- Allo taxi tél: 823 44 04

Many of the green and white taxis clandos provide service between Dakar and ths suburbs and between suburbs. Drivers charge a fixed price per distance, pick up a number of customers for each trip and drop them off one by one. There are special pickup points in Dakar, including on Avenue Lamine Guèye, opposite Sandaga market. Many of these taxis are in poor condition, even though they provide extensive services to people in the suburbs.

Bush taxis travel to all regions of Senegal from the Colobane and Pompiers bus terminals.

Buses

The bus fleet of the Société des transports Dakar Dem Dikk ("Dakar round trip" in Wolof) serves most of Dakar and environs. Many routes take passengers downtown.

Fares:

- 1^st section (Dakar, Sicap) : 150 CFA francs
- 2^nd section (Pikine, Thiaroye) : 175 CFA francs
- 3^rd section (Rufisque, Bargny) : 200 CFA francs

Express buses

They serve all Dakar suburbs. Be wary of pickpockets, especially when standing in the bus. In any case, for your own safety case, you should avoid standing. The fare ranges from 50 and 100 CFA francs, depending on the destination.

Air transportation

Senegal is very well served by many air carriers. Sabena, Iberia, Alitalia, Tunis Air, Ethiopian Airlines and Royal Air Maroc all offer regular flights to Dakar. Air Afrique and Air France each have daily flights to and from Paris.

The Léopold Sédar Senghor international airport is the main one in the country. The airports at Saint-Louis and Ziguinchor handle a great deal of tourist traffic.

Travel agencies

Rail transportation
The petit train bleu (PTB) runs from Monday to Saturday, 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., between Dakar and the suburbs (Pikine, Thiaroye et Rufisque).

Fares
100 CFA franc from Dakar to Rufisique

There is a train every 15 minutes, and the ride from Dakar to Pikine takes 15 to 20 minutes.

The Dakar-Bamako-Dakar (the Express)

Train I:
Departs from Dakar 10:00 a.m., Wednesday and Saturday; arrives at Bamako Thursday and Sunday 2:30 p.m.

Train II:
Departs from Bamako 9:15 a.m., Saturday and Wednesday; arrives at Dakar Sunday and Thursday 2:30 p.m..

Fares
1^st class 31,085 CFA francs for Senegal and Mali trains
2^nd class 22,785 CFA francs

Rail links between Dakar and the regions--primarily Saint-Louis and Kaolack--were not viable economically and had been cut. However, they are now being re-established.

Société nationale des chemins de fer (at the station, near dock)
Tel.: 849 46 46

Maritime transportation

The ship Le Joola sails between Dakar and Ziguinchor. Departure from Dakar: Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:00 p.m. Arrival in Ziguinchor Wednesdays and Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. Departure from Ziguinchor: Sundays and Thursdays, 12:00 noon. Arrival in Dakar: Mondays and Fridays, 5:00 a.m.

Fares
Comfort class (armchairs): 6,000 CFA francs.
Individual cabin: 18,000 CFA francs per bed.
Double cabin: 15,000 CFA francs.
Four-berth cabin: 12,000 CFA francs per bed.
Deck: 3,500 CFA francs.

Tip: reserve one week before your trip.
Tel.: 821 58 52 / 22 54 43

To buy tickets

Gorée launch fares and schedule

Crossing takes 20 minutes.

Fares
A Non-residents--Africa
Adults 5000 CFA francs
children 2500 CFA francs

B Residents--Africa
Adults 1500 CFA francs
Children 500 CFA francs
Elementary school groups 300 CFA francs
Secondary school groups 600 CFA francs
Coumba Castel special launch 1,750,000 CFA francs
Augustin E. Ly special launch 750,000 CFA francs

Liaison maritime Dakar Gorée
21, boulevard de la Libération, Gorée dock
Tel.: 823 45 45 (ext. 4482)
Fax: 823 80 01

Schedule:
Monday-Saturday

Departure from port of Dakar 6:15 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. (Except Saturday), 6:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and 12.30 a.m.
Departure from Gorée: 6:45 a..m., 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:00 p.m. (except Saturday), 7:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 11:00 p.m., and 1:00 a.m.

Sundays and holidays
Departure from port of Dakar: 7:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., and 12:30 a.m. Sunday or 12:45 a.m. the day before a holiday.

http://www.senegalaisement.com

HEALTH SERVICES

Health tips

• The only vaccination required for entry into Senegal is the one for yellow fever. However, immunization against poliomyelitis, tetanus, typhoid, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and meningitis is recommended too.
• Take mefloquine tablets regularly (if you have brought some from Canada), or take nivaquine with paludrine, which is available in Dakar pharmacies, to protect yourself against malaria. Sleep under mosquito nets and put mosquito cream on before going out in the evening.
• Use condoms to avoid being infected with AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases if you have sexual relations with someone other than your regular partner.
• Wash your hands before touching food or eating.
• Avoid consuming products (doughnuts, water, fruit) sold by street vendors.
• Never ignore illnesses or symptoms that do not go away, particularly diarrhea; see a doctor immediately.
• Be wary of dehydration and the effects of long periods of sunbathing.
• Follow the advice of health services on keeping vaccinations up to date.
• In the bush, avoid tall grass because of scorpions and snakes.
• Always take a first aid kit, a mosquito net and anti-malaria products with you when travelling in the bush; this is vital when children are with you.
• Iron your clothes; flies can lay eggs in your clothes when they are drying on the line.
• Drink filtered or boiled water. It is advisable to give mineral water to babies under one year of age.
• Wash raw vegetables and fruits bought in the market in bleach or permanganate.
• Do not consume raw vegetables and tap water in restaurants, unless the establishment has a very good reputation.

For further information, contact the Embassy nurse at 823 92 90.

Consultations

Hospitals

Hôpital Principal
Av. Nelson Mandela
Tel.: 839 50 50

Clinics

List of physicians by specialty

Dakar has many doctors in nearly all areas of medicine (pediatrics, gynaecology, cardiology, obstetrics, etc.).

Consulting fees vary
- from 15,000 to 20,000 CFA francs for a specialist
- from 12,000 to 15,000 CFA francs for a general practitioner

Cardiologists

Surgeons

Dentists

Dermatologists

Gastroenterologists

Gynaecologists/obstetricians

General medicine

Homeopath
Dr. Shanaz Ardekani
Rue A x rue 1, Point E
Tel.: 825 75 03

Ophthalmologists

Orthopedic surgeons

Ear, nose and throat specialists

Pediatricians

Radiologists

Urologists

Lung specialists

Health services (others)

Ambulances
Sapeurs pompiers / fire department (downtown)
Tel.: 18

Service ambulancier de l'Hôpital Principal
Av. Nelson Mandela
Tel.: 839 50 50

Medical analysis

AIDS information

Polyclinique de la Médina SIDA services
Tel.:821 30 09/822 48 64 (association of private Catholic clinics)
Tel.: 821 79 54

Chinese medicine

Opticians

Optique Ponty Dakar-Optic
24, av. Georges Pompidou 37, av. Georges Pompidou
Tel.: 821 04 23 Tel.: 821 73 26

Pharmacies

There is always one pharmacy that stays open all night and three that are open on Sundays and holidays (see the national daily Le Soleil or the free ad magazines for details). Here are the addresses of some pharmacies:

Repatriation on medical grounds

In an emergency, some Canadian insurance policies cover repatriation on medical grounds. It is vital that you check on this with your insurance broker. If you are not covered, we recommend that you take out insurance from one of the following companies:

Emergency services

Ambulance service: well equipped to handle any emergency (cardio-respiratory, trauma)
Medical evacuation
Home visits: for all types of consultation, around the clock, at reasonable rates

Veterinarians

SCHOOLS

Educational institutions in Senegal meet the requirements of article 1 of decree 77-822 of July 13, 1977. Under this decree, periods of schooling completed in Senegalese institutions are granted equivalence with schooling completed in elementary schools, colleges and high schools in France. The purpose is to make it easier for students to pursue their studies in France or to obtain a statement of equivalence. Thus schools in Senegal are based on French public schools.

The following schools are not covered by the decree:

Selected preschool institutions:

CULTURE, RECREATION AND LEISURE

Libraries and cultural centres

Bookstores and stationers

Aux Quatre vents
55, rue Félix Faure
Tel.: 22 13 46 / 821 80 83
Open Monday, 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Clairafrique
Rue Sandiniéry
Tel.: 22 21 69
Open Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Media
Senegal has a press agency (APS), five daily newspapers and many weekly and monthly publications. Dailies cost between 100 and 200 CFA francs, and weeklies, from 300 to 700 CFA francs. Since 1994, a number of private radio stations have sprung up in addition to the national radio and television network.

With the Mmds antenna (known as "antenne TV 5"), viewers can watch a number of TV stations, including TV5, which broadcasts Radio-Canada. news programs. You can buy an Mmds antenna for about 86,000 CFA francs.

Foreign press
You can buy foreign newspapers and magazines at the Aux Quatre vents and ClairAfrique bookstores, in department stores and at most newsstands.

Museums
Musée d'art africain de Dakar (IFAN-CAD)

Place Soweto
Tel.: 821 40 15

Open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission charge. Permanent exhibits of African instruments, masks, statuettes, and artists' and craftsman's tools.

See museums in Gorée.

Galleries
There are a number of galleries on Mohamed V, Moussé Diop and Félix Faure streets and along Soumbédioune. Bronze and earthenware objects, statuettes, sculpted masks, ancient pearls and jewellery, chests and other items are on display.

Photos

Movie theatres

Theatre

Théâtre national Daniel Sorano
45, Boul. de la République
Tel.: 822 17 15

Discotheques and night clubs

Cultural events

Sports

Aviation

Aéro-club Iba Guèye, Dakar Yoff
Tel.: 820 04 12

Softball

For the last few years there has been an international softball league in Dakar, with players from Canada, the U.S., Korea and Japan.

Bowling, pool and snooker, deep-sea diving, bridge

Hunting

Safari hunting is virtually nonexistent in Senegal. However, there are opportunities to hunt warthogs, ducks and guinea fowl, which are plentiful in several regions. Contact the Direction des Eaux et Forêts [Water and forestry directorate] for information.

Cycling

Bicycle rental, repairs, sales and tours
Bompti sports
73, av. Petavin
Tel.: 822 55 67

Dancing

Horse riding

Riding cap and boots are mandatory.

Golf

Hôtel Méridien
Pointe des Almadies
Tel: 820 15 15/820 21 22

This nine-hole course is mainly on sandy ground, but the greens are in good condition because they are watered continuously. For the last two years, the Canadians in Senegal have run their own golf tournament.

Judo, karaté

Traditional wrestling

Émile Badiane arenas Stade Iba Mar Diop
Fass Av. Blaise Diagne

Boating

Swimming pools

Most hotels have one. The Olympic swimming pool located at Point E should open soon.

Scuba diving

Nautilus, plongée loisir
Place de Ngor
Tel: 637 14 22

Tarot

Clos normand
Opposite Saint Dominique church
Av. Cheikh.A.Diop
Tel.: 824 71 62

Tennis

Shooting (pistols)

Fishing

Fishing is best from May to November.

Jogging

Parcours sportif
Corniche Ouest, near University of Dakar: group jogging, weightlifting and gymnastics on the beach at dusk.

Beaches

There are naturally many ocean beaches. Swimming is prohibited on some of them, however, because of currents, fishing, sharks, pollution and other considerations. They are identified by signs with the words "Baignade interdite" [swimming prohibited] and the skull and crossbones symbol.

Dakar's best beaches for swimming and relaxing are Yoff beach, on the airport road, and Grandes Mamelles beach, at the foot of the lighthouse. These beaches are somewhat difficult to get to, so you should ask Canadians who have been living in Senegal for detailed directions.

Popular beaches for surfing and sailboarding on the Almadies coast are as follows: Secret, Secret 2, No Return, Vivier, Speed Point, Baie des carpes, and Ngor. They are not well known, so you should go to the "Tribal Surf Shop," where you can buy all the surfing gear you need and get the required information. There are two routes to the shop: (1) continue along the Chemin de terre du virage past the "Le GAC" butcher's shop, and it is on your right; (2) take the airport road and watch for the red sign on the left. There are some smaller beaches near the hotels: Plage du Lagon, Plage du Savana, Plage de l'Anse Bernard (Corniche Est), and Gorée beach, at the dock.

The most beautiful beaches are on the coast leading to St-Louis, but they are also the most dangerous because of ocean currents and quicksands. It is therefore not a good idea to swim at these locations. On the other hand, beaches at the hotels and resorts along this part of the coast are safe.

For your own safety, you should always visit these beaches with people whom you know. We strongly advise you not to go to the beach at night because of the risk of assault.

EXPLORING SENEGAL

Places to visit in Dakar

Gorée

Gorée Island, three kilometres from Dakar, was discovered in 1444 by the Portuguese, who named it Palma (Palm island) and turned it into a cemetery. Subsequently, it was the scene of confrontations between English, Dutch and French merchants. In 1628, the Dutch occupied the island and called it Goede Reede (good basin). They built forts on it: Nassau, facing the basin, in 1628, and Orange, on Castel hill, in 1639. The French came in 1677 and called it Gorée, which was a corruption of the Dutch name. The native people called the island Beer. Whereas the mainland coastline could be dangerous, Gorée provided ships with a nice, sandy beach, a defensible harbour and a calm basin in which to drop anchor. Portuguese navigators, such as Bartolomeu Diaz, Vasco de Gama and Fernando Po, and the poet Camoes (author of the Lusiades) reportedly stayed there.

In 1982, UNESCO declared Gorée Island a World Heritage site, and in recent years it has become a place of prayer and reflexion and a destination for pilgrims from all over the Black diaspora, and particularly from the Caribbean and the U.S. A symbol of the Black man's slavery and humiliation, the island followed in the footsteps of Ouidah in Benin and Cidade Velhe in Cape Verde and played a major role in the slave trade. Gorée was a staging point for slave ships en route for the Americas. The Maison des esclaves, which can be visited today, bears witness to the island's tragic past. It was built in 1776 and was the last slave trading establishment on the island.

Among the mulattoes borne of the unions between French men and Gorée women were the renowned "signares," mulatto women who counselled and inspired their European spouses and helped to build Gorée, particularly through their considerable business acumen. Cathy Louette and Anne Pépin are amongst the most famous. Cathy Louette was the "signare" of the governor Aussenac, and he built her a large house which is now the dispensary on the Saint Charles Borromée church square. The Chevalier de Boufflers built a beautiful home for his "signare," Anne Pépin. One of the contemporary celebrities from the island is Blaise Diagne, the first African député in the French National Assembly; the house where he was born still stands.

Places to visit:

Maison des Esclaves
(Open every day except Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 2:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Friday, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)
The Maison is located on the left as you arrive at the port. It was built in the late XVIII century. Slaves were housed on the ground (first) floor, and the second floor was reserved for the slave-masters. Joseph N'diaye, the curator, does a brilliant job of telling the history of the place, bringing alive the tragic circumstances and the horror of the slave trade.

Musée historique (Fort d'Estrées)
(Open 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Monday, tel.: 822 20 30)
the Fort d'Estrées (1850) is on your right as you disembark. The fort is not unusual militarily but it does house a treasure--the Musée historique du Sénégal. It has 13 rooms, and 12 of them tell the history of Senegal from prehistoric times through the ancient kingdoms, the rise of the various ethnic groups, the slave trade and the colonial period to independence. On display is "Sieudon Man," a 1500-year-old skeleton petrified in sandstone, along with a V-shaped stone that is a megalithic monument. The thirteenth room is a souvenir shop.

Musée de la femme Henriette Bathily[women's museum]
(Open Tuesday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Opposite the Maison des esclaves, this museum is dedicated to the memory of a woman fought for women's rights and was also a person of great culture and learning. Farming tools, musical instruments, pottery, basket work and photographs bring to life the role of Senegalese women down through the ages.

Musée de la mer
(Place du Gouvernement, same hours as Musée historique, tel.: 821 50 66)
Built inside the old India Company house (XVIII century), the museum was completely restored in 1995. There are collections of fish (750 species), mollusks (700 species) and crustaceans.

Art Gallery (rue St Germain)
Chez Bigué Ndoye,
Sale of artwork and souvenirs

Gorée launch schedule (See Maritime transportation on page...)

Cour des Orfèvres (formerly Cour des Maures)
69-71, av. Blaise Diagne
Goldsmith and silversmith shops (particularly silver jewellery)

Soumbédioune arts and crafts village

At Soumbédioune. All trades are represented, and the craftsmen and artists demonstrate their skills and talents. High-quality artwork.

Parc national des îles des Madeleines (Sarpan islands)
Contact Eaux et Forêts [Water and forestry directorate] for a visitor's permit. Take a launch from Soumbédioune for about 5000 CFA francs. Bring walking shoes and appropriate clothing for ocean conditions.

Phare des Mamelles [lighthouse]
Magnificent view of the ocean and the peninsula. You can visit on foot or by car.

Parc zoologique et forestier de Hann

Hann, near the offices of the Le Soleil newspaper.

Places to visit outside Dakar

Lac Retba (or Lac rose)
At village of Malika (25 km from Dakar). Microscopic algae oxidize iron in salt water and thus give the water a pink colour. You can swim there, but because of the salt you spend most of your time floating, and once you are out of the water, you will have to take a shower to avoid itching. Refreshment stands and campsite.

Campsites

Parc national du Djoudj

Located 70 km from St-Louis. Open from November to April and considered the third largest bird sanctuary in the world. About 3 million birds representing 300 species live alongside crocodiles, warthogs, pythons and monkeys.

Launch tours starting from Saint-Louis and the hostel. Prices: park admission 2000 CFA francs per person, 5000 CFA francs for vehicle. Launch crossing 3000 CFA francs per person.

Hostellerie du Djoudj
Tel.: 963 87 05

Parc national du Niokolo Koba

Located 600 km from Dakar near the border with the Republic of Guinea. It is a major wildlife and plant life reserve: you can see lions, hyenas, hippopotamuses, elephants and monkeys from dawn until dusk during the dry season (from November to June). Admission: 2000 CFA francs per person per day, plus a fixed price of 5000 CFA francs for the vehicle, whatever the number of passengers.

Park accommodations:

single room 13,500 CFA francs
double room 18,000 CFA francs
meal 4,200 CFA francs
breakfast 1,200 CFA francs
taxes 400 CFA francs
Safari (park vehicle) 4,500 CFA francs per person for half a day

Practical tips:

• Bring sufficient gasoline with you. There are no service stations between Tambacounda and Kédougou..
• Bring an anti-malaria spray or cream, binoculars, and map of the park, even if you are going to be accompanied by a guide.

You can be part of an organized tour of the park, get there by bush taxi ("taxi-brousse") from Tambacounda, or fly there. For further information, contact the park administration at 981 10 97

Benedictine monasteries of Keur Moussa (monks) and Keur Guilaye (nuns)

About 50 km from Dakar. Ideal conditions--Gregorian chants, peaceful setting--for personal reflexion and prayer. The nuns produce and sell jam, cheese, fruit, tapes and CDs, and musical instruments including the kora.

Saly tourism complex

At Mbour, 80 km from Dakar. Huge complex. Several oceanfront hotels in a generally magnificent setting.

Beaches and scenery of Casamance

Without a doubt, this part of Senegal offers the most enchanting scenery and the finest beaches in the country. However, the region has seen political troubles in recent years, so you should exercise considerable caution if you go there. Roadblocks, highwaymen and countless military checkpoints are now facts of life.

Alongside hotels of varying quality in Ziguinchor (the regional capital) and Cap-Skirring (where there is a Club Med hotel), there are a number of village campsites promoting integrated rural tourism. They are managed by the local communities themselves.

Contact the Service régional du tourisme inZiguinchor, tel.: 991 12 68

Tip: Bring lots of water and a first aid kit with you when travelling outside Dakar.

Books on Senegal

If you want to find out more about Senegal's tourism potential and social and cultural practices, the following books will be of interest to you:

• Dakar, le Guide - Ed. S.A.H.E.L. - 1996
• Le Guide du routard - Ed. Hachette
• Sénégal, Babacar Doro Bâ
• Les publications du Scorpion, 1998
• Senegal, Renaudeau - 1997
• En parcourant le Sénégal (les éditions Gacou -2000)

Websites on Senegal

Primature

http://www.gouv.sn

Ministère du Tourisme

http:///www.gouv.sn/tour
http://www.senagalaisement.com

RELIGION

Churches

Mosques

Grande mosquée
Allées pape Guèye Fall
Tel.: 821 53 61

THE CANADIAN COMMUNITY IN SENEGAL

The Canadian community in Senegal comprises the staff of the Embassy, CIDA and the BACC, volunteer aid workers, and persons (with their families) on assignment with international organizations and private companies.

There are also many Canadian nationals in religious missions (Catholic congregations, Baptist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses) and in private Catholic schools.

A few years ago a club was set up for Canadians from all walks of life who are interested in working together to organize social, sports and cultural activities. The club's most visible event is the annual golf tournament, which attracts an ever-increasing number of serious and recreational golfers.

Private companies

Public institutions

NGOs

International organizations

Universities

International Cooperation Centre
For Health and Development (CCISD) (AIDS)
Contact: Dr. Rose Nguessan Lattier
Tel.: 822 48 64

USEFUL NUMBERS

National organizations

DISTANCE FROM DAKAR TO...

N.B.: Times may vary with type of vehicle, state of roads, and traffic density.