The announcement of a meeting between Senegal’s current president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and his predecessor, Macky Sall, has sparked intense debate across the country. Sall, who governed Senegal from 2012 to 2024, is visiting Dakar to seek support for his candidacy for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.
Unresolved wounds resurface
For families of victims from the 2021-2024 protest repression, Sall’s return to Senegal reopens deep emotional wounds. Seydi Gassama, a human rights activist supporting 67 families in their legal battles, expressed concern that this meeting sends a damaging message.
“It’s not Macky Sall’s right to return to Senegal that shocks us, he stated. As a citizen, he has every right to visit. What shocks us is that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, despite his promises, has taken no action to deliver justice to the victims of Sall’s regime. No accountability, no reparations—just a meeting to endorse his UN bid. This is unacceptable. Sall bears heavy responsibility for the suffering endured.”
Broken promises and unfulfilled justice
During his presidential campaign, Bassirou Diomaye Faye pledged to prioritize justice for victims of political repression. Yet over two years into his term, no trials have been held, and compensations remain minimal—a fact lamented by victim associations.
Human rights organizations have criticized the lack of progress. For Gassama, Macky Sall’s past disqualifies him from aspiring to lead the United Nations.
Political implications of the meeting
The political implications of this encounter are significant. Analyst Assane Samb suggests it could reshape Senegal’s reconciliation process and political landscape.
“Since Diomaye Faye distanced himself from his original party, Pastef, and plans to launch his own political movement, this meeting may signal an attempt to forge a strategic alliance, he noted. This could unite traditional opposition parties against the still-influential Pastef, creating a new political front.”
Silence from key players
Neither the Senegalese presidency nor Pastef, led by Ousmane Sonko, has commented on Sall’s announced visit. This would mark Sall’s first return to Senegal since leaving office in April 2024.
It’s worth noting that Sall’s UN candidacy was not endorsed by Senegal but by Burundi, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the African Union (AU). In late March, over twenty AU member states, including Senegal, rejected his bid to replace António Guterres.
