The President of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade,  has become the first African leader to publicly back West Papua‘s bid for independence, stating that ‘West Papua is now an issue for all black Africans’.

His comments came last week during a conference in Senegal’s capital Dakar, attended by Benny Wenda, a West Papua independence leader who was granted political asylum by the British Government in 2003.

Benny Wenda addressed the audience, telling them about the situation in West Papua and his own struggle to bring independence to his homeland.
Following his address he presented the President with a Papuan headdress, and was warmly embraced by him. The President then addressed the audience, urging all African nations to take attention to the West Papua issue and do whatever they can to help.

Senegal is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa with a population of over 15 million. The current President was re-elected to power in 2007.