The president of Senegal’s National Assembly, Ousmane Sonko, announced yesterday that seven bills submitted by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye would not be placed on the agenda for the current extraordinary session. This decision was conveyed during the opening of the first extraordinary session, convened following a bureau meeting held on August 6.
Bills from the executive branch deferred
The rejected proposals included ratification treaties and agreements ranging from facilitating access to published works for visually impaired individuals to military cooperation accords with foreign nations. Specifically, the shelved bills encompassed:
- A bill authorizing the ratification of the Marrakech Treaty to facilitate access to published works for blind and visually impaired individuals;
- A bill authorizing the ratification of protocols amending specific articles of the International Civil Aviation Convention;
- A bill authorizing the ratification of a military and technical cooperation agreement between Senegal and the Republic of Congo;
- A bill authorizing the ratification of an extradition convention between Senegal and the United Arab Emirates;
- A bill authorizing the ratification of a convention on the transfer of convicted persons between Senegal and the United Arab Emirates;
- A bill authorizing the ratification of a judicial mutual assistance treaty in criminal matters between Senegal and the United Arab Emirates;
- A bill authorizing the ratification of a judicial mutual assistance treaty in criminal matters between Senegal and Italy.
Sonko clarified that these bills would not be addressed in the current session, stating, « These matters will either be scheduled for future extraordinary sessions or, if necessary, for the upcoming ordinary session. »
Agenda set for three priority bills and eight legislative proposals
The National Assembly’s bureau has instead prioritized three key bills and eight legislative proposals for this session. Among the bills slated for review are:
- A bill establishing a new Labor Code;
- A bill introducing a Social Security Code;
- A bill focused on protecting critical information infrastructure and digital security.
The deputies will also examine two urgent legislative proposals over the next fifteen days. These include:
- A proposal to amend Article 37 of the Constitution regarding the declaration of the president’s assets;
- A proposal addressing the legal framework for special credits.
Sonko emphasized that these proposals would be reviewed under an expedited procedure at the request of their authors. Additionally, six proposals for establishing parliamentary inquiry commissions will be on the table, covering topics such as:
- Irregularities in land management;
- Disposal of state-owned real estate;
- Government use of Total Return Swap financial mechanisms;
- Alleged irregularities in the procurement and execution of the “One Student, One Laptop” program;
- Revenue losses and management of tax exemptions;
- Conditions for issuing and renewing fishing licenses.
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