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Politique

Ousmane Sonko challenges Senegal’s new IMF deal, demands transparency

Ousmane Sonko, the former Prime Minister and current President of Senegal’s National Assembly, has issued a strong statement regarding the latest agreement between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Senegalese government. Taking to his Facebook page, the head of the parliamentary institution announced that a comprehensive debate would soon commence to scrutinize the intricacies and ramifications of this renewed collaboration.

Following the announcement of a new IMF agreement with Senegal, which includes a loan program exceeding $2 billion—approximately 1,245 billion CFA francs—aimed at supporting Dakar, former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has re-entered the discussion. Sonko previously brought to light the existence of a substantial hidden debt, a revelation that led to the suspension of Senegal’s IMF program in 2024. He now presses for further clarity on the new accord.

“We have closely observed the successive announcements from both the IMF and the Senegalese government concerning a technical agreement, which will only become definitive upon its eventual approval by the Fund’s Executive Board,” Ousmane Sonko stated.

However, the diplomatic language employed by both parties provides no substantive details regarding this draft agreement, nor on Senegal’s specific commitments as outlined in the IMF’s communiqué. Sonko posed several critical questions:

What are Senegal’s precise commitments concerning the “treatment of its debt”?
Which major reforms are envisioned, particularly regarding public finance viability, protection of vulnerable households, domestic resource mobilization, expenditure rationalization, social safety nets, supervision of public enterprises, and the overall business environment?
What is the current status of the international debt audits that were previously mandated?

These are all significant commitments that directly impact every Senegalese citizen, in whose name they are undertaken, and who will ultimately bear their current and future burden.

Having participated in these discussions for many months and being privy to certain orientations that risk repeating past errors, I unequivocally call for absolute transparency.

Given that this type of negotiation culminates in a draft document, known as a memorandum of economic and financial policies, validated by both parties, I formally request that the government of Senegal:

Publish this memorandum to ensure accurate public information and to facilitate a healthy debate on Senegal’s commitments;
Alternatively, transmit it to the National Assembly, as the legitimate representation of the people.

In any event, the broad outlines of these commitments will be incorporated into a potential supplementary finance law (LFR) or within the draft finance bill for 2027, which is scheduled for submission to the National Assembly in October 2026.

“And the debate will certainly take place!” he concluded.