US president Barack Obama arrived in Senegal's capital Dakar yesterday evening, on the first stop of a three-country tour that threatens to be overshadowed by the failing health of Nelson Mandela, who is critically ill in a South African hospital, dpa reported. As Air Force One touched down at Dakar's international airport, many Senegalese watched live television broadcasts of US president's arrival, or stood outside in the streets, tipping their heads back to catch a glimpse of the jet as it flew low over the warm seaside capital. In Senegal, Obama is expected to forge closer ties with 51-year-old president Macky Sall and emphasise the country's reputation as a beacon of democracy.
