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Senegal

Air Force hit by Diomaye Faye's budget cuts

While they can theoretically count on a budget of €35m for 2026, the Senegalese armed forces are still missing out on a significant portion of their funding, which has yet to be released by the government.

Subscribers only Defence 15.05.2026

After Nairobi, Macron prepares final major African tour

French President Emmanuel Macron during the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi, Kenya, on 12 May 2026. © Monicah Mwangi/Reuters

Subscribers only Diplomacy 12.05.2026

Bassirou Diomaye Faye with Emir of Kuwait Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace in Kuwait City, on 13 January 2026. © Kuna /AFP

Spotlight
AfDB and BOAD development banks rally round Dakar

Multilateral donors are stepping up their efforts to prevent Senegal from having to restructure its debt. However, the global political situation has undermined their strategy.

Subscribers only Finance 11.05.2026

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye at the presidential palace in Dakar, in September 2024. © Carmen Abd Ali/The New York Times/Redux/REA

Spotlight
Diomaye Faye lays plans for post-Sonko era

The Senegalese president has made no secret of differences with his prime minister and former mentor and has been working to break free from his influence for several weeks. While reshaping the state apparatus to suit his own purposes, he has also shown no hesitation in consulting with figures linked to the opposition.

Subscribers only Politics 08.05.2026

Details of Accra's proposed new security architecture

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in Addis Ababa in February 2026. © Marco Simoncelli/AFP

Subscribers only Diplomacy 07.05.2026

Brussels introduces support measures for the navy

The European Union is preparing to disburse a new funding package designed to support the Senegalese government in securing its coastline. It is to be financed by the European Peace Facility.

Subscribers only Defence 05.05.2026

French MP Bruno Fuchs meets Prime Minister Sonko

The chair of the French parliamentary foreign affairs committee was received in turn by Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on 22 April in Dakar.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 29.04.2026

EU finally delivers speedboats to coastal nations under maritime security programme

Brussels is currently equipping West African coastguards with light vessels as part of the SWAIMS assistance programme, which has suffered significant delays in recent years.

Subscribers only Defence 27.04.2026

Macky Sall courts Trump administration in bid for UN top job

As he campaigns to become the next UN secretary-general, Senegal's former president has recently made his case to the Trump administration. While Washington has stopped short of anointing him as its preferred candidate, it has so far raised no specific objections to his bid.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 24.04.2026

Former Senegalese President Macky Sall at UN headquarters in New York, on 22 April 2026.

Diomaye Faye gives undertakings to Paris

The Senegalese head of state, who is due to travel to Kenya to take part in a summit organised by Emmanuel Macron, has recently honoured part of Dakar's financial commitments to the French state.

Subscribers only Finance, Diplomacy 17.04.2026

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Senegalese counterpart Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Paris on 27 August 2025.

ECOWAS reduces budget for standby force

The Economic Community of West African States continues to seek solutions to finance its 1,650-strong regional defence force, whose initially proposed annual budget has been halved to €1bn.

Subscribers only Defence 13.04.2026

Oumar Wade's delicate balancing act as new chief of defence staff

Since his appointment as head of the Senegalese armed forces in December 2025, the squadran vice admiral has had to contend with a complex situation combining persistent security threats and restrictions imposed by a budgetary crisis.

Subscribers only Defence 08.04.2026

Senegal’s new chief of defence staff, Vice Admiral Oumar Wade, in Dakar, March 2022.

Dakar asks France and EU to help fund its peace and security forum

France and the EU, which are long-standing sponsors of the event to be held on 20 and 21 April, have yet to respond to Senegal's requests.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 07.04.2026

Tensions between Faye and Sonko reach boiling point

The president's inner circle are seriously considering the possibility of dismissing the prime minister. Behind the scenes, several names have already been put forward as potential replacements for the head of government.

Subscribers only Politics 01.04.2026

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Dakar on 1 August 2025.

Macky Sall and Umaro Sissoko Embaló lobby Brussels in low key visit

The two former presidents made a brief stopover in the Belgian capital a few days ago. They were received by the highest authorities of the European Union to discuss their respective political futures.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 01.04.2026

Macky Sall during the African Union-European Union Summit in Brussels, 18 February 2022.

PR teams and lawyers clash in standoff to decide AFCON winners

To announce its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the Senegalese Football Federation has hired a Paris PR agency. Meanwhile, Morocco's equivalent has appointed a law firm to represent it in this latest development concerning who is the rightful winner of this year's Africa Cup of Nations.

Subscribers only Politics, Diplomacy 01.04.2026

Fouzi Lekjaâ (right) shakes hands with Moroccan team captain Achraf Hakimi, as FIFA President Giovanni Infantino looks on, 18 January 2026.

UN considers reform of its West African office

The United Nations' special envoy for West Africa has launched a wide-ranging strategic review of UNOWAS, against a backdrop of regional realignment and tensions with the Alliance of Sahel States.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 30.03.2026

Spotlight
Dakar and Paris seek common ground on future military cooperation

Eight months after the handover of France's last military bases in the country, French and Senegalese officials are engaged in low-key negotiations aimed at renewing their defence agreements. The issue is expected to feature on the agenda of the next intergovernmental seminar, although its date remains uncertain.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 24.03.2026

French General Pascal Ianni, head of the France's Africa command, and General Mbaye Cissé, former Senegalese armed forces chief of staff in Dakar, October 2025.

Challenges of extending regional express train line

Although the Senegalese government announced the imminent start of preparatory work for phase 3 of the rail connection between Dakar and Thiès, the project remains contingent on several major questions yet to be resolved.

Subscribers only Infrastructure 23.03.2026

Regional express train station in Dakar, 5 February 2025.

Spotlight
John Dramani Mahama's plan to revive security talks with Sahel juntas

Seeking to establish itself as one of the key mediators between the Sahelian military juntas and West African capitals, the Ghanaian presidency has proposed a new security cooperation framework to the countries in the region.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 20.03.2026

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in Addis Ababa on 15 February 2026.

Lomé playing discreet intermediary between Washington and Sahel juntas

Following the gradual resumption of relations between the United States and the military juntas in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, Togo – which enjoys close ties with all three regimes – has been working behind the scenes, particularly with Bamako.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 18.03.2026

Assimi Goïta, head of the Malian junta, in Beijing, China on 1 September 2024.

Inner Circle
The businessmen, marabouts and fixers in Ousmane Sonko's inner circle

Senegal's prime minister still relies on businessmen and intermediaries who backed him during his years in opposition. Drawn from varied backgrounds – construction, aviation and religious networks – they form a discreet but influential circle around the leader who took power two years ago.

Subscribers only Politics 13.03.2026

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Senegal

Air Force hit by Diomaye Faye's budget cuts

After Nairobi, Macron prepares final major African tour

Spotlight
AfDB and BOAD development banks rally round Dakar

Spotlight
Diomaye Faye lays plans for post-Sonko era

Details of Accra's proposed new security architecture

Brussels introduces support measures for the navy

French MP Bruno Fuchs meets Prime Minister Sonko

EU finally delivers speedboats to coastal nations under maritime security programme

Macky Sall courts Trump administration in bid for UN top job

Diomaye Faye gives undertakings to Paris

ECOWAS reduces budget for standby force

Oumar Wade's delicate balancing act as new chief of defence staff

Dakar asks France and EU to help fund its peace and security forum

Tensions between Faye and Sonko reach boiling point

Macky Sall and Umaro Sissoko Embaló lobby Brussels in low key visit

PR teams and lawyers clash in standoff to decide AFCON winners

UN considers reform of its West African office

Spotlight
Dakar and Paris seek common ground on future military cooperation

Challenges of extending regional express train line

Spotlight
John Dramani Mahama's plan to revive security talks with Sahel juntas

Lomé playing discreet intermediary between Washington and Sahel juntas

Inner Circle
The businessmen, marabouts and fixers in Ousmane Sonko's inner circle

Washington gets involved in debt issue

Dakar plans energy summit to entice Arab countries

Macky Sall brings his UN pre-campaign to Paris to meet with Emmanuel Macron

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Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

About Africa Intelligence

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Indigo Publications' websites

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Senegal

Air Force hit by Diomaye Faye's budget cuts

After Nairobi, Macron prepares final major African tour

Spotlight AfDB and BOAD development banks rally round Dakar

Spotlight Diomaye Faye lays plans for post-Sonko era

Details of Accra's proposed new security architecture

Brussels introduces support measures for the navy

French MP Bruno Fuchs meets Prime Minister Sonko

EU finally delivers speedboats to coastal nations under maritime security programme

Macky Sall courts Trump administration in bid for UN top job

Diomaye Faye gives undertakings to Paris

ECOWAS reduces budget for standby force

Oumar Wade's delicate balancing act as new chief of defence staff

Dakar asks France and EU to help fund its peace and security forum

Tensions between Faye and Sonko reach boiling point

Macky Sall and Umaro Sissoko Embaló lobby Brussels in low key visit

PR teams and lawyers clash in standoff to decide AFCON winners

UN considers reform of its West African office

Spotlight Dakar and Paris seek common ground on future military cooperation

Challenges of extending regional express train line

Spotlight John Dramani Mahama's plan to revive security talks with Sahel juntas

Lomé playing discreet intermediary between Washington and Sahel juntas

Inner Circle The businessmen, marabouts and fixers in Ousmane Sonko's inner circle

Washington gets involved in debt issue

Dakar plans energy summit to entice Arab countries

Macky Sall brings his UN pre-campaign to Paris to meet with Emmanuel Macron

Create a notification

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Spotlight
AfDB and BOAD development banks rally round Dakar

Spotlight
Diomaye Faye lays plans for post-Sonko era

Spotlight
Dakar and Paris seek common ground on future military cooperation

Spotlight
John Dramani Mahama's plan to revive security talks with Sahel juntas

Inner Circle
The businessmen, marabouts and fixers in Ousmane Sonko's inner circle