During the Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye delivered a series of firm directives to the government led by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. The Head of State outlined a comprehensive roadmap, emphasizing accountability and results across key areas including national dialogue, public performance monitoring, civil registration management, and access to water, placing significant imperatives on the executive branch.

At the outset of his address, President Faye revisited the National Dialogue Day, originally scheduled for May 28. Acknowledging the prevailing religious context, he opted to replace large-scale public consultations with individual audiences involving various prominent national figures.

“Starting tomorrow, I will receive former Prime Ministers and former ministers, particularly those who were responsible for finance and internal security,” the President stated. He further clarified that other national personalities and representatives from vital sectors would be consulted in a subsequent phase. Through this approach, Bassirou Diomaye Faye aims to solidify consensus around national priorities and ensure broader participation in discussions concerning Senegal’s economic, social, security, and political landscape.

The President also underscored the importance of rigorous monitoring of government actions, a directive directly impacting Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and his cabinet. “The optimal implementation of the National Transformation Agenda necessitates a systematic evaluation of public policies and close oversight of governmental work,” he declared.

In line with this dynamic, he announced a reform to the functioning of the Council of Ministers. “The Council of Ministers will convene every other week for a period, to strengthen the culture of evaluating the impacts of government actions,” the Head of State affirmed. Bassirou Diomaye Faye thus issued a clear instruction to the executive: establish a robust culture of accountability and performance.

“Every member of the Government must proceed with the evaluation of director-generals and directors of entities under their responsibility, supervision, or control,” he demanded. The President extended this principle of oversight to territorial and diplomatic administrations. He instructed the Minister of Interior to evaluate administrative district heads and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to monitor the performance of heads of diplomatic and consular missions.

Regarding local authorities, he tasked the relevant ministry with collaborating with stakeholders to devise “an effective mechanism for evaluating mayors and departmental council presidents.” On budgetary and administrative matters, the Head of State commended the completion of the third ministerial cluster in Diamniadio, which is designed to streamline public expenditures.

He further urged the acceleration of several strategic dossiers. “It is imperative to finalize the validation phase of the 2026-2028 multi-year budgetary and economic programming document, optimize the time dedicated to public procurement, and meticulously prepare budget conferences,” he instructed.

The critical issue of civil registration was among the urgent matters raised during this Council of Ministers. Addressing identified shortcomings in the current system, Bassirou Diomaye Faye set a precise timeline. “An Emergency Plan for Strengthening Civil Registration Management must be presented before the end of June 2026,” he ordered the minister responsible for Territorial Collectivities.

The President emphasized the need for profound reform. “It is paramount to accelerate the full digitalization of civil registration, guarantee the reliability of documents, and ensure adequate and secure preservation of registers and archives,” he highlighted. Following this logic, national consultations are to be organized before the end of August 2026 to enhance governance in the sector.

Access to potable water also captured the Head of State’s attention. Observing persistent difficulties in several localities, notably Touba, Kaffrine, Louga, and Keur Massar, he called for immediate action. “All urgent measures must be taken to significantly improve the population’s access to water,” he insisted with the Minister of Hydraulics, in coordination with SONES, OFOR, and SEN’EAU.

With the 2026 World Cup just weeks away, Bassirou Diomaye Faye concluded by extending a message of support to the Lions of Senegal. “On behalf of the Nation, I convey a message of mobilization, encouragement, and support to the Lions,” he declared, while requesting the Ministry of Sports and the Senegalese Football Federation to take “all appropriate complementary measures” to ensure Senegal’s successful participation in the World Cup.