"Every day, the people of Kédougou, a town rich in precious minerals like gold, which should be a symbol of prosperity for its children, continue to live in poverty, marginalized, while foreign gold miners invade our mines and exploit our resources with total impunity." This cry from the heart comes from Thié Kouyaté, a national political figure and son of Kédougou, who, along with his comrades, refuses to remain silent in the face of "this ongoing scandal."

Their contrast is unbearable: the soil is full of gold, but our people, they say, continue to dig their way through poverty. "What we are seeing is simply shameful. The riches of our land, the fruit of the sweat and history of our ancestors, are being diverted to the benefit of individuals from elsewhere. Meanwhile, our villages remain in precarious conditions: schools without equipment, destitute health centers, impassable roads, families struggling to meet their basic needs," they continue.

The injustice, in the eyes of Thié Kouyaté and his comrades, is even more glaring when one considers that "these mines could be a real source of local development. They could finance children's education, improve the health of our families, create jobs for young people and boost the economy of the entire region." But, they denounced, "this potential is being stolen by foreigners, leaving the inhabitants of Kédougou to watch their own resources being plundered."

They believe it is time to sound the alarm and demand that: "the State strengthens the control and regulation of mining, to ensure that local resources benefit the populations; local legal gold miners are valued and included in the mining value chain, so that they can benefit directly from what is rightfully theirs; mining revenues are invested in community development, to build schools, hospitals, infrastructure and support sustainable social projects; the population is made aware and mobilized, to defend its rights, protect its environment and claim a fair share of the wealth of its land."

Mr. Kouyaté makes a solemn appeal to the authorities, partners and all those who care about the development of Senegal, not to let Kédougou be reduced to the role of gold supplier for others.

As a son of Kédougou, he said he has made a commitment to defending the region, mobilizing the diaspora, working with local populations, and raising the voice of those who cannot be heard. "We have the right to justice, dignity, and real and sustainable development," he said.