Dakar – MechaBay | Mobile Suit Gundam

Dakar was the political capital of the Earth Federation located in northwestern Africa on the Cape Verde Peninsula. The city served as the seat of the Earth Federation Assembly and was the site of numerous significant political and military events throughout the Universal Century.

History

Dakar assumed the role of capital of the Earth Federation in UC 0001, becoming the centre of political power for the unified Earth government. The city was chosen as the political capital partly due to its strategic location and as a gesture of multicultural inclusiveness following the devastation of the One Year War.

The Gryps War

In UC 0087, during the Gryps War, Dakar became the focal point of crucial political developments. Anti Earth Union Group leader Commodore Blex Forer and Lieutenant Quattro Bajeena visited the city to attend meetings of the Earth Federation Assembly. Their mission was to argue against the government’s plans to transfer operational control of the Earth Federation Forces to the Titans.

Jamitov Hymen, leader of the Titans, spoke at the Assembly meetings to defend their request for expanded authority. He successfully won over the Assembly members by arguing that politicians governing Earth should live on Earth, rather than in space colonies. Forer, convinced by Bajeena, formally proposed that the Assembly members should move to space to be more in touch with the space-based human population under Federation rule.

However, the political maneuvering took a dark turn when Forer was assassinated by a Titans operative whilst staying at the Hotel Dakar Prince. With his dying words, he urged Bajeena to assume leadership of the AEUG. The following day, with Bajeena witnessing, the Earth Federation Assembly unanimously approved a bill to transfer the EFF to the Titans.

The First Battle of Dakar

Later in UC 0087, following the Attack on Kilimanjaro, Quattro Bajeena interrupted a meeting of the Earth Federation Assembly to make one of the most significant speeches in Universal Century history. He revealed his true identity as Char Aznable and delivered an impassioned denunciation of the Titans to the world, advocating that humanity’s future lay in space rather than on the ecologically overtaxed Earth.

Char’s speech, which was broadcast throughout Earth and space, called for humanity to leave the “nursery” of Earth behind and warned that “even this very city of Dakar is slowly being engulfed by the desert.” The Titans attempted to physically halt the broadcast by deploying mobile suits in what became known as the First Battle of Dakar. Ironically, this aggressive response provided a firsthand demonstration that legitimised Char’s claims about the Titans’ tyrannical nature.

The First Neo Zeon War

In UC 0088, shortly after the end of the Gryps War, the First Neo Zeon War erupted. Neo Zeon forces, led by Haman Karn, launched a swift operation to capture Dakar. The occupation of the Federation capital was a significant propaganda victory for Neo Zeon and highlighted the genuine threat they posed to Federation authority.

During the occupation, most of the Earth Federation’s leadership was detained in the city. However, a number of politicians and military officials managed to escape before Neo Zeon sealed off the city and secretly fled to Dublin, Ireland, where they continued to run the Federation government in exile.

The Second Battle of Dakar

The combined forces of the AEUG and Karaba subsequently organised a counteroffensive to retake their capital. Captain Bright Noa sent Judau Ashta and the Gundam Team ahead to Neo Zeon-controlled Dakar. The Second Battle of Dakar was a hard-fought engagement that ultimately resulted in a Federation victory, forcing Neo Zeon forces to retreat. The recapture of their capital city provided a much-needed morale boost to the Federation and marked the beginning of a shift in momentum against Neo Zeon on Earth.

The Laplace Incident

In UC 0096, Dakar faced its most devastating attack during the Laplace Incident. Zeon Remnants, operating under the banner of “The Sleeves,” launched a diversionary attack on the capital to distract the Earth Federation Forces from noticing the descent of the Garencieres to Earth.

The attack was spearheaded by the massive amphibious mobile armor AMA-X7 Shamblo, piloted by Loni Garvey and accompanied by a squadron of AMS-129M Zee Zulu mobile suits. The EFF mobile suits guarding the capital destroyed most of the attacking Zeon forces, but they were powerless to prevent the massive destruction caused by the Shamblo.

The Shamblo’s rampage lasted over two hours and resulted in the complete destruction of the Earth Federation Assembly Hall and several other important buildings. The death toll reached approximately 40,000 civilians and military personnel, making it one of the most devastating attacks on the Federation capital. The fighting ended before the Londo Bell ship Ra Cailum could arrive to reinforce Dakar’s defenders.

Relocation of the Capital

After the successive attacks on Dakar during various conflicts, the Earth Federation government gradually relocated its key functions. By UC 0093, the Federation had moved its military headquarters to Lhasa, Tibet. However, Dakar had resumed its function as the political capital by UC 0096, only to suffer the devastating attack during the Laplace Incident.

Following the destruction during the Laplace Incident, and recognising the vulnerability of Earth-based installations, the Earth Federation Assembly and other key administrative functions were permanently relocated from Dakar to the Moon and space colonies sometime after UC 0100. This move was well received by the Spacenoids, as it finally gave them greater power to administrate the government they had long been subject to.

Geography

Dakar was located in northwestern Africa on the Cape Verde Peninsula, positioned at one of the most westerly points of the African continent. The city’s location made it strategically important as a gateway between Earth and space, whilst its position on the Atlantic coast provided access to major maritime routes.

The city was built on a relatively low limestone platform, with its harbour protected by the limestone cliffs of the cape and breakwater systems. The downtown area was situated on a plateau, often referred to simply as “the Plateau,” which housed many of the government buildings and administrative centres.

The climate was noted to be increasingly arid, with Char Aznable famously observing during his speech that “even this very city of Dakar is slowly being engulfed by the desert,” highlighting the environmental degradation affecting Earth during the Universal Century.

Facilities

Earth Federation Assembly Hall

The Earth Federation Assembly Hall was the primary government building where members of the Earth Federation Assembly convened to conduct the political business of the Federation. This massive structure served as the centre of Federation democracy and was the site of numerous historic events, including Char Aznable’s famous speech during the Gryps War.

The Assembly Hall was completely destroyed during the Laplace Incident in UC 0096 when the AMA-X7 Shamblo targeted it with its mega particle cannons. The destruction of this iconic building symbolised the end of an era for the Earth Federation’s Earth-based government.

Hotel Dakar Prince

The Hotel Dakar Prince was a prominent hotel in the city that served as accommodation for visiting dignitaries and government officials. During the Gryps War, Commodore Blex Forer stayed at this hotel whilst attending Assembly meetings. It was here that he was assassinated by a Titans operative, marking a turning point in the conflict between the AEUG and the Titans.

Port Facilities

Dakar maintained significant port facilities that served both civilian and military purposes. During the Laplace Incident, these ports were amongst the first targets attacked by Zeon Remnant forces. The harbour’s strategic importance made it a key objective for any force seeking to control the capital.

Strategic Importance

As the political capital of the Earth Federation, Dakar held immense symbolic and practical importance. Control of the city meant control over the Federation’s legislative process and its legitimacy as a government. This made it a prime target for various anti-Federation forces throughout the Universal Century.

The city’s role as the seat of the Earth Federation Assembly made it the centre of democratic governance for the Earth Sphere. Major policy decisions affecting billions of people across Earth and the space colonies were made within its borders.

The repeated attacks on Dakar throughout the Universal Century demonstrated both its importance and the Federation’s difficulty in protecting Earth-based installations from space-borne threats. Each successful attack undermined Federation authority and highlighted the vulnerability of maintaining a capital on Earth’s surface.

Behind the scenes

Dakar is based on the real-world city of Dakar, the capital of Senegal in West Africa. The real Dakar is located on the Cape Verde Peninsula and is indeed positioned at the westernmost point of the African mainland, making it geographically accurate to its Gundam universe counterpart.

The choice of Dakar as the Federation capital reflects the series’ themes of global governance and multicultural representation. In reality, Dakar has historically been an important political and economic centre for West Africa, serving as the capital of former French West Africa.

Director Tomino Yoshiyuki’s decision to set major political events in Dakar, particularly Char’s famous speech, emphasised the global nature of the Universal Century’s conflicts and the need for truly international perspectives on governance.

Appearances

External links

Dakar on the Gundam Wiki
Dakar, Senegal on Wikipedia