The Head of State, His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar FAYE, chaired the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at the Palace of the Republic. At the outset of his address, the President of the Republic congratulated the Government, particularly the Prime Minister, the Minister in charge of Labor and Employment, the Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, as well as workers’ and employers’ organizations, technical and financial partners, for the successful organization and outcome of the 4th edition of the Social Conference, themed “Employment and Employability.”
He instructed the Prime Minister to ensure, alongside all Ministers, the systematic implementation of the recommendations from this meeting, which reflects the State’s commitment to significantly strengthening tripartite social dialogue (State, workers, employers). In this regard, he emphasized the urgency of finalizing, in collaboration with the national private sector, the “New National Employment Policy” accompanied by tailored action plans, whose pragmatic deployment must align with the sectoral objectives of the National Transformation Agenda. The operational documents for realigning employment promotion strategies should prioritize employability and the socio-economic integration of youth. This notable paradigm shift will begin through the adaptation of mechanisms and the development of vocational and technical training across all regions, in line with the needs of the national economy.
To ensure coherence and optimization of interventions in employment promotion, the Head of State asked the Prime Minister to evaluate and redirect the mechanisms of the Vocational and Technical Training Financing Fund (3FPT) and the School-Enterprise Training Program (PF2E), revise the objectives of the National State-Employers Convention (CNEE) with stakeholder involvement, and consolidate information systems on employment and vocational training, as well as the state framework for supporting and financing entrepreneurship and self-employment. This essential transformation of the State’s incentive interventions in the labor market will streamline resources and better support project holders and the transition of the informal economy. Given the new opportunities offered by the global relaunch of the national economy, he highlighted the need for the Prime Minister to intensify the revitalization of productive sectors and labor-intensive value chains.
To this end, he called on the Government to accelerate the implementation of reforms to sustainably improve the business environment. Adequate economic financing, with the reprofiling of actions, instruments, and public financing mechanisms (CDC, BNDE, BHS, LBA, FONSIS, FONGIP, etc.), is also a priority. Additionally, he instructed the Minister in charge of Labor and Employment, in collaboration with the Minister of Family and Solidarity and the Minister of Health and Social Action, to establish a concerted and efficient process for the eventual implementation of a sustainable universal social protection system. Labor Day will be celebrated on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
On this occasion, the Head of State extended his warm congratulations, encouragement, and ongoing support to all Senegalese workers for their daily contribution to national development and social stability. He urged the Government to continuously strengthen social dialogue with workers’ organizations and promote decent work in compliance with the Labor Code and relevant international conventions. He emphasized to the Prime Minister the importance of repositioning the labor administration and improving its working conditions. The Prime Minister was also invited to ensure the proper functioning of occupational health and safety committees across all ministries, with an update to their regulatory framework.
To conclude this chapter, the President of the Republic announced that he would meet with trade union leaders during the traditional and solemn ceremony for the submission of grievance notebooks on the afternoon of Thursday, May 1, 2025. Following the 2024 national dialogue on “Justice Reform and Modernization,” the Head of State informed that he would chair the opening of the national dialogue on the political system on May 28, 2025. The proceedings will be coordinated by Dr. Cheikh GUEYE, a renowned civil society actor. The national dialogue remains a key moment for discussions on issues of vital interest and calls for a patriotic surge from all of Senegal’s stakeholders, particularly political actors.
The President of the Republic reiterated his determination to spare no effort, alongside all stakeholders, to ensure the continuous advancement and modernization of Senegal’s democratic system. Excellence in managing the education system remains a priority of government action. To this end, the President asked the Minister of National Education, in collaboration with the Minister of the Armed Forces, to continue the momentum of establishing “Army-Nation” excellence high schools in all regions of Senegal and ensure their proper functioning by providing appropriate equipment, human, and financial resources.
Furthermore, he urged the Government, in this final phase of the school year, to take all necessary measures for the proper organization of examinations and competitions across the national territory on the scheduled dates. He also instructed the Minister in charge of Higher Education to accelerate the reform of the Baccalaureate Office and initiate the orientation process for universities and other public higher education institutions. He further called on the Minister of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Minister of Finance and Budget, to expedite the completion of university construction projects. Finally, he tasked the Prime Minister with ensuring optimal coordination of the management of scheduled examinations and competitions within the various sectors of the education system.
In his address, the Prime Minister outlined the main guidelines for drafting the upcoming 2025 Supplementary Finance Law (LFR). He emphasized the need for a budgetary allocation aligned with the strategic programs of the National Development Strategy (2025-2029) of the “Senegal 2050” National Transformation Agenda, while considering the country’s financial constraints. In this context, he stressed the necessity for Government members to exercise strong selectivity in requesting budgetary allocations for their respective ministries in the LFR.
For new projects, the Prime Minister indicated that the approach should prioritize, for the investment budget, projects that do not require heavy or complex structuring, particularly in areas such as human development, social equity, governance, security, the primary sector, energy, hydraulics, digital technology, and the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (JOJ).
For projects requiring heavy or complex structuring, expenditures related to associated intellectual services must be included in the 2025 LFR, in anticipation of their execution starting in 2026. Regarding ongoing projects funded by both internal and external resources, the Prime Minister reiterated the priority of budgetary allocations to settle arrears for services already performed. He also urged Ministers to rigorously sort through projects with low execution rates.
He further emphasized the need for consultations with technical and financial partners to restructure the portfolio of externally funded projects not aligned with the National Transformation Agenda and those, though aligned, now considered components of new projects. Based on these guidelines, the Prime Minister invited the Ministers in charge of Economy and Planning, Finance and Budget, in collaboration with the Minister, Secretary General of the Government, to take appropriate measures to submit proposals for budgetary allocations for projects, in preparation for a pre-arbitration meeting before presenting the LFR draft to the Council of Ministers in May 2025.
Additionally, the Prime Minister called on the Government to fully engage in the new approach governing the State’s relations with social partners, in anticipation of concluding a new social stability pact. In this regard, he highlighted the critical need to establish adequate economic and financial conditions to improve workers’ daily lives.
This requires succeeding in the economic challenge of the “Senegal 2050” National Transformation Agenda in an atmosphere of trust and transparency. He also urged Ministers and Secretaries of State to remain constantly attentive to the population and representative organizations of the nation’s stakeholders and to respond promptly to their requests whenever possible. Finally, the Prime Minister informed the Council of the timeline established for setting up the State Procurement Centralization Commission. The related draft decree will be submitted for the approval of the President of the Republic in May 2025, with the goal of effectively launching the Procurement Agency in July 2025.
MINISTERIAL COMMUNICATIONS:
- The Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs reported on the status of buildings used for diplomatic and consular posts.
- The Minister of Infrastructure and Land and Air Transport reported on the railway network.
- The Minister of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Technology reported on the evaluation of the Press Code’s implementation and the development of the audiovisual sector.
- The Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture reported on youth participation and mobilization for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY TEXTS:
The Council reviewed and adopted:
- The draft decree defining the responsibilities of the Minister attached to the President of the Republic in charge of Monitoring, Steering, and Evaluating the “Senegal 2050” National Transformation Agenda.
- The draft decree amending Decree No. 2024-3410 of December 12, 2024, establishing the organization and functioning rules of the Operational Coordination and Monitoring Office for Projects and Programs (BOCS).
- The draft decree creating and establishing the organization and functioning rules of the Fund for the Preparation and Monitoring of Projects, Programs, and Reforms of the “Senegal 2050” National Transformation Agenda.
INDIVIDUAL MEASURES:
The President of the Republic made the following decisions:
Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications, and Digital Technology:
- Mr. Madiaw DIOP, Computer Design Engineer, is appointed member of the Steering Committee of the Universal Telecom Service Development Fund, replacing Mr. Mamadou Lamine SENE, called to other duties.
- Mr. Silman CAMARA, Finance Consultant, is appointed Chairman of the Board of Senegal Connect Park, replacing Mr. Al Ousseynou COULIBALY.
Ministry of Family and Solidarity:
- Ms. Khady SALL, Sociolinguist with a Master’s II in Project Management, is appointed Chair of the Steering Committee of the General Delegation for Social Protection and National Solidarity, replacing Mr. Mouhamadou DIAW.
Ministry of National Education:
- Mr. Ibrahima FAYE, Legal Advisor, payroll number 518 222/J, is appointed Technical Inspector.
- Mr. Modou WADE, Elementary Education Inspector, payroll number 602 130/J, is appointed Technical Inspector.
- Mr. Amadou Bah BODIAN, Secondary Education Teacher, payroll number 652 224/A, is appointed Technical Inspector.
- Mr. Papa Ndiaga Coumba DIENG, Secondary Education Teacher, payroll number 626 917/E, is appointed Technical Inspector.
- Mr. Alioune GUEYE, Secondary Education Teacher, payroll number 603 566/D, is appointed Technical Inspector.
Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture:
- Mr. Georges Arman Yelognissédé DEGUENONVO, Inspector of Popular Education, Youth, and Sports, payroll number 633 179/C, is appointed Director of Socio-Educational Activities and Associative Life.
- Mr. Nalla Socé FALL, Full Professor of Social Psychology of Sport (Physical and Sports Activities Sciences option), payroll number 607 088/M, is appointed Director of the National Center for Popular and Sports Education, replacing Mr. Serigne Ali Cissé DIENE, called to other duties.
Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts:
- Ms. Ndèye Awa BADJI, Planner, payroll number 615 809/G, is appointed Director of Tourism Regulation, replacing Mr. Philippe Ndiaga BA.
Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, Government Spokesperson: Amadou Moustapha Njekk SARRE