UN: Senegal officially supports Macky Sall’s candidacy.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has formalized his country’s support for the candidacy of his predecessor, Macky Sall, for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN).

The announcement was made in a statement released on Monday, July 20, by the Senegalese Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad.

According to the document, Macky Sall was received at the Palace of the Republic on Friday, July 17, to present his candidacy for the head of the UN to the Head of State. After this meeting, Bassirou Diomaye Faye decided that “Senegal will give its full support” to this candidacy.

The statement also specifies that the president has “instructed the Government and the entire Senegalese diplomatic network to fully mobilize” to promote Macky Sall’s candidacy among the UN member states. The Head of State also invites “all the vital forces of the Nation” to support this approach, presented as Senegal’s “service to Africa and a more effective multilateralism.”

This stance marks a shift from the initial report of the July 17 meeting. At that time, the presidency had only mentioned a discussion “marked by cordiality and republican courtesy,” without announcing official support for the former Head of State.

However, this decision is far from unanimous in Senegal. Since Macky Sall’s reception at the presidential palace, several civil society organizations and families of victims of political protests from 2021 to 2024 have expressed their disapproval. They could view this official support as a form of political rehabilitation for the former president.

Macky Sall also continues to face criticism regarding the management of public finances during his tenure. His opponents accuse him of leaving the country with a heavy debt and an especially difficult economic situation, a topic that continues to fuel political debate in Senegal.