ROME - Appreciation of the United Nations for the mediation efforts undertaken by the Community of Sant'Egidio in Senegal for the cessation of the armed conflict and the return of peace in Casamance. In his semi-annual report (1-30 June 2014) on the activities of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlights the progress made in the search for a lasting solution to the conflict that, for 32 years, has opposed the separatists of the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) and the central government and, after pointing out that, for Senegalese President Macky Sall, peace is a priority, notes with satisfaction that on last 28 April, the leader of the MFDC ordered his fighters a unilateral ceasefire as a sign of goodwill towards a lasting peace. "This is due - writes the Secretary-General – to the mediation carried out in recent months by the Community of Sant'Egidio, a Christian association based in Rome, with the support of the United States of America and other international partners." In fact, the unilateral ceasefire of the independence movement MFDC had been told by the head of the Movement SADIF Sadio on April 30, as a gesture of goodwill following the agreement on "mutual confidence-building measures" signed on 22 February at the headquarters of the Community of Sant'Egidio in Trastevere between a delegation from the Senegalese government and the MFDC one. On that occasion, the Community had noted with satisfaction that "the implementation of the commitments made by both parties is encouraging" and that progress on the peace process had been made possible "thanks to the commitments made." The Community of Sant'Egidio continues in its commitment to a definitive solution to the conflict in Casamance.