In Senegal, Forum Civil Calls on State Regarding ASER and Yakaar-Teranga

The Forum Civil called on the Senegalese government on Sunday, September 20, regarding several public finance issues, including the rural electrification contract ASER-AEE Power EPC, the withdrawal of Kosmos Energy from Yakaar-Teranga, and the use of funds intended for victims of flooding from the Senegal River.

Meeting in Saly, the board of the Senegalese section of Transparency International specifically requested explanations about the start-up advance of approximately 37 billion FCFA paid under the ASER-AEE Power EPC contract. This issue is already at the center of a controversy regarding the execution of the rural electrification program and the use of the disbursed funds.

Regarding Yakaar-Teranga, the Forum Civil demands the publication of the contract binding the state to Kosmos Energy, as well as the terms of the American company’s withdrawal agreement. Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô stated on September 8 before the National Assembly that approximately 55 million dollars, or nearly 30 billion FCFA, should revert to the state. This statement has raised questions following the announcement in April that Kosmos’s withdrawal was concluded without any financial compensation for Senegal.

The organization also requests that the executive clarify the destination of the 8 billion FCFA announced in October 2024 for the populations affected by the floods in Bakel, Matam, and surrounding areas. At that time, the government indicated that this funding was intended to finance initial emergency measures, including the distribution of food, drinking water, and equipment to the victims.

The board also cites the “Diam” funds from Casamance. It seeks clarification on their alleged use for the acquisition of vehicles by or for the Prime Minister’s office, as well as the conditions under which ONRAC would have transferred seized vehicles to a public authority. These points are presented by the Forum Civil as requests for clarification directed at the authorities.

Finally, the Forum Civil demands the publication of Sangomar’s oil revenues for the second half of 2024, better oversight of special funds, and adherence to the electoral calendar. In its statement on September 20, the organization also condemned the death threats reportedly targeting members of civil society, journalists, and opinion leaders.