The former Senegalese foreign minister, Djibo Ka, and several other senior politicians have resigned from the ruling Socialist Party.

Correspondents say the move has been timed to coincide with President Clinton's visit for maximum publicity.

Mr Ka and his followers, who have been suspended since December, were publicly denounced as dissidents by the party's national conference last month.

Earlier, Senegal's main opposition leader, Abdoulaye Wade, wrote an open letter to President Clinton, in which he criticised the Socialist Party's economic policies.

Correspondents say both Mr Ka and Mr Wade's intention was to present an alternative view of Senegal's politics to Mr Clinton, who praised the country's political stability, multi-party system and economic liberalism.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service