Senegal abandons controversial river scheme

The government in Senegal has said it will no longer go ahead with plans to build a controversial dam on the river Senegal, along its border with Mauritania.

Government ministers in Dakar said to continue with the irrigation project could be counter-productive, following an angry response from the authorities in Nouakchott.

They accused the new Senegalese President, Abdoulaye Wade, of arrogance for resurrecting a scheme begun but later dropped under the rule of his predecessor, Abdou Diouf.

In the past few days, civilians were leaving both countries amid fears of a repeat of the bitter border war between Senegal and Mauritania of eleven years earlier.

King Mohammed of Morocco had spoken to both leaders, urging restraint.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service