The Council of Ministers met on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, President of the Republic.
UNDER THE COMMUNICATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
The Head of State delivered a statement addressing the following points:
National Dialogue
At the outset of his communication, the President of the Republic addressed National Dialogue Day, celebrated on May 28. In light of the particular religious context this year, he decided to hold individual audiences, from May 21 to 31, 2026, with various personalities to discuss the country’s economic, social, security, and political situation, in place of the large public gatherings previously organized.
Reaffirming his steadfast commitment to strengthening lasting consensus around practical solutions that improve people’s lives and enhance the country’s international standing, the Head of State announced that he would begin receiving, starting tomorrow, former Prime Ministers and former ministers, particularly those who previously oversaw finance and internal security. He indicated that other personalities, community leaders, and representatives of the nation’s vital forces would also be received at a later stage.
Strengthening Monitoring and Performance Evaluation in the Public Sector
The President recalled that the effective implementation of the National Transformation Agenda requires systematic evaluation of public policies and close monitoring of government action. To this end, he decided to organize government performance review sessions every fifteen (15) days. Consequently, the Council of Ministers will meet every other week, for a period, to strengthen the culture of evaluating the impact of government action.
In this spirit, he instructed each member of the Government to evaluate the directors-general and heads of entities under their authority or supervision. He also tasked the Minister of the Interior with ensuring the evaluation of administrative district heads, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs with that of diplomatic and consular mission heads. The Head of State further requested the Minister in charge of Local Authorities to work with decentralization stakeholders to design an effective mechanism for evaluating mayors and presidents of departmental councils.
As part of optimizing State real estate assets, the President welcomed the completion and commissioning of the third ministerial complex in Diamniadio, which will contribute to improving the quality of public service and reducing the State’s rental expenses.
He also called for the final validation phase of the Multiannual Budgetary and Economic Programming Document (DPBEP 2026–2028), in preparation for the upcoming Budget Orientation Debate, the optimization of public procurement timelines, and the proper preparation of budget conferences by ensuring the inclusion of priority projects.
Civil Registration Management
Noting shortcomings in civil registration governance and the need for urgent corrective measures, the Head of State instructed the Minister in charge of Local Authorities to present, before the end of June 2026, an Emergency Plan to Strengthen Civil Registration Management. This plan must address all levels of responsibility and all aspects of the issue, with appropriate and sustainable solutions.
He emphasized the importance of improving the functioning of the National Civil Registration Agency and civil registry centers, accelerating the full digitalization process, ensuring document reliability, and securing the proper preservation of civil records and archives. In this regard, he also requested the organization of national consultations before the end of August 2026 to strengthen the reliability and governance of civil registration.
Water Supply for the Population
Highlighting the priority of access to drinking water in the country’s economic and social development policy, the President pointed to supply difficulties in several localities, notably Touba, Kaffrine, Louga, and Keur Massar. He therefore instructed the Minister of Water and Sanitation to take urgent measures, in coordination with relevant public service operators, to significantly improve access to water for the population.
Senegal’s Participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The Head of State recalled that Senegal’s national football team, reigning African champions, will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
On behalf of the Nation, he expressed a message of mobilization, encouragement, and support to the “Lions” and instructed the Minister of Youth and Sports, in coordination with the Senegalese Football Federation, to take all necessary measures to ensure a successful participation.
Presidential Agenda, Integration, Cooperation, and Partnerships
The Head of State informed the Council that he participated, from May 10 to 13, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, in the “Africa Forward” Summit. On the sidelines, he held discussions with fellow Heads of State, leaders of financial institutions, and business executives committed to strengthening their activities and investments in Senegal.
UNDER THE COMMUNICATION OF THE PRIME MINISTER
The Prime Minister presented his communication on the following points:
Market Management
The Prime Minister noted that commercial infrastructure in Senegal, largely dating from the 1970s, is characterized by significant deterioration and major safety risks. Between 2013 and 2024, fifty-three (53) markets experienced one or more fires, illustrating the sector’s vulnerability.
He presented a diagnostic analysis highlighting governance, technical, infrastructural, organizational, environmental, and health challenges. He also emphasized the efforts made under the Market Modernization and Management Program (PROMOGEM), whose strategic development plan covers 2025–2029.
This plan aims to restructure 528 existing markets and build 67 new modern ones. He outlined the main axes of the pilot phase, identified constraints, and proposed solutions to enhance the program’s efficiency, including institutional reform, increased financial resources, and legal framework revision.
Preparation of the 2026–2027 Agricultural Campaign
The Prime Minister commended the work carried out by relevant services in producing fertilizers and certified seeds. He also highlighted achievements alongside persistent weaknesses requiring immediate action, including incomplete seed autonomy, quality deficits, limited access to agricultural credit, equipment maintenance issues, and storage capacity constraints.
He called for transparency in costs, availability of inputs, and regular distribution nationwide, as well as the acceleration of digitalization, mobilization of seasonal credit, urgent maintenance of equipment, and strengthening of storage infrastructure.
Flood Prevention and Management
The Prime Minister encouraged preparatory work undertaken by government services, particularly in drainage maintenance, infrastructure checks, pump pre-positioning, and emergency planning.
He stressed the interministerial nature of flood prevention and called for coordinated action across all services, with clear instructions for immediate measures, including updating emergency plans, ensuring operational early warning systems, and conducting a simulation exercise before June 15, 2026.
Senegal Connect Park
The Prime Minister highlighted that Senegal Connect Park is a strategic project for digital sovereignty, innovation, data hosting, and economic development. With a physical completion rate of approximately 95%, financial and contractual challenges remain.
He therefore called for urgent measures to finalize the project, including setting a realistic completion date and accelerating negotiations with financial partners.
UNDER THE COMMUNICATIONS OF MINISTERS
The Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation presented a communication on the Diaspora Investment and Amortization Fund (FIAD), aimed at financing real estate and infrastructure projects under the National Transformation Agenda, Senegal 2050.
The Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock presented a communication on preparations for Tabaski 2026 and the 2026–2027 agricultural season.
UNDER LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY TEXTS
The Council examined and adopted:
the draft law amending Law No. 65-61 of July 21, 1965 on the Code of Criminal Procedure;
the draft framework law on the promotion and development of the Defense Industrial and Technological Base;
the draft law authorizing the sale of the State’s shareholding in the Regional Market Bank.
UNDER INDIVIDUAL MEASURES
The President of the Republic made the following appointments:
Lieutenant-Colonel Biram Simon Ndiaye, Public Health Specialist, formerly Chief Medical Officer of the Popenguine Health District, is appointed Regional Director of Health for Ziguinchor;
Mr. Ibou Gueye, Public Health Specialist, formerly Chief Medical Officer of the Saint-Louis Health District, is appointed Regional Director of Health for Kaffrine.
Marie Rose Khady Fatou Faye
Secretary of State to the Prime Minister,
in charge of Relations with Institutions,
Government Spokesperson.