Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Friday dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government, a move that could deepen uncertainty in the West African nation as it struggles with a debt crisis and ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In a statement read on state television by a presidential aide, Faye announced the dismissal of all ministers while instructing the outgoing administration to continue handling routine affairs until a new government is formed.
The decision follows months of growing tension between Faye and Sonko, once close political allies.
Sonko, a popular opposition figure with strong support among young voters, had backed Faye’s successful 2024 presidential bid after being barred from contesting due to a defamation conviction.
Relations between the two men had increasingly deteriorated in recent months.
The political fallout comes at a delicate moment for Senegal’s economy. The IMF suspended a $1.8 billion lending programme after the discovery of previously unreported debt allegedly concealed by the former administration, pushing Senegal’s debt burden at the end of 2024 to 132 percent of gross domestic product.
Analysts say the dismissal of Sonko could further complicate efforts to secure a fresh agreement with the IMF.
Earlier on Friday, before the announcement of Sonko’s removal, Finance Minister Cheikh Diba told parliament that the government expected to resume talks with the IMF during the week of June 8 and hoped to reach an agreement on key issues by June 30.
Sonko rose to prominence as a fierce critic of former president Macky Sall, whose decision to postpone the 2024 presidential election triggered deadly unrest.
Both Faye and Sonko, former tax inspectors, were jailed ahead of the vote but were released 10 days before the rescheduled election. Faye went on to win the presidency with 54 percent of the vote.
Sonko’s political future now remains uncertain. In March, he said he would be prepared to withdraw his Pastef party from the government and return to the opposition if Faye abandoned the party’s political agenda.
