The upcoming meeting between Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his predecessor, Macky Sall, has ignited fierce backlash from families of political repression victims during Sall’s tenure. These families argue the visit occurs while justice and reparations remain unfulfilled for the tragedies they endured.

What fuels this controversy? How might this encounter reshape Senegal’s political landscape? Analyst Assane Samb weighs in on the significance of this meeting within the country’s current political climate.

Interview with Assane Samb

Assane Samb: The meeting was inevitable, despite the predictable objections from certain quarters.

Now that he is a candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations, it would have been unthinkable for his candidacy to be endorsed by other African nations, particularly Burundi, without diplomatic adjustments.

The Chinese president played a pivotal role in facilitating this rapprochement, smoothing over tensions to present a unified front.

They had to soften the edges.

Why does this visit provoke such strong reactions, especially from victims’ associations and civil society?

The answer lies in the recent past. Between 2021 and 2024, Senegal experienced intense street clashes between protesters and security forces. What unfolded was a revolutionary momentum among the population, driven by widespread discontent.

Many organizations, including Amnesty International, attribute responsibility to the president as the guarantor of public safety and freedoms, notably the right to protest. Is President Faye facing a dilemma between state diplomacy and his political base’s demands for justice?

When he was still in the Pastef party, he hesitated to openly support Macky Sall. Now that he has moved beyond those constraints, he no longer holds back. That’s no longer the case.

Could Macky Sall’s UN Secretary-General candidacy further polarize Senegal’s political debate?

The strategy extends beyond victims’ families—though their suffering remains deeply resonant. What’s happening is that people fear Sall’s return due to calculated political maneuvers.

What impact could this meeting have on national reconciliation and Senegal’s international image?

Internationally, the meeting will likely be well-received, particularly among African heads of state. However, domestically, the political divide will deepen further.