Senegal changes course to back ex-leader Macky Sall as UN chief

What the report says

France 24, citing AFP, reported that Senegal’s government said Monday it will support former president Macky Sall’s campaign to become the next United Nations secretary-general, reversing its earlier refusal to endorse him. The announcement came after Sall met President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Dakar during his first return to Senegal since leaving office and relocating to Morocco.

Sall, who governed Senegal from 2012 to 2024, is seeking to succeed Antonio Guterres when the current UN chief’s term ends. According to the report, Faye’s circle said Sall visited to brief the president on the UN campaign. Senegal’s foreign ministry then said Faye had directed the government and the country’s diplomatic network to promote Sall’s candidacy among UN member states, framing the bid as one that now belongs to Senegal and could serve Africa and multilateral diplomacy.

The shift is politically notable because Faye won office in 2024 amid strong opposition to Sall’s rule. France 24 reported that the current government has accused Sall of violent political repression that caused dozens of deaths in his final years in power, as well as concealing negative economic figures. Sall’s return to Dakar drew thousands of supporters, but also criticism from opponents demanding accountability for deaths during his presidency.

Sall had earlier been nominated by Burundi, which holds the rotating African Union presidency, but the report said about 20 AU countries, including Senegal, had not backed him. Senegal’s endorsement could strengthen his standing, though the UN secretary-general selection ultimately depends on support among UN member states and the Security Council.