Senegal has officially endorsed the candidacy of former President Macky Sall for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, reversing its prior position just days after a meeting in Dakar between the former leader and current President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The announcement was made through an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Until now, Senegal had not indicated support for Macky Sall, who led the country from 2012 to 2024. His candidacy was not submitted by Senegal but by Burundi, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the African Union (AU).

As recently as late March, nearly two dozen AU member states—including Senegal—had declined to support Macky Sall’s bid to succeed António Guterres as UN chief.

The former president faces serious allegations from Senegalese authorities, who took power in April 2024, accusing him of authorizing a harsh crackdown on opposition protests between 2021 and 2024 that resulted in dozens of fatalities.

The dramatic shift in Senegal’s position followed a brief but high-profile visit by Macky Sall to Dakar, where he was greeted by thousands of supporters. Critics of the former president have demanded accountability for the killings during his tenure and accused him of concealing a significant portion of the national debt.

A candidacy framed as Africa’s service

In a statement, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye declared that Senegal would provide its full backing to Macky Sall’s candidacy for UN Secretary-General. The instruction directs the government and Senegal’s diplomatic network to actively promote the bid among UN member states.

The statement described Macky Sall’s candidacy as “now representing Senegal’s commitment to Africa and to a more effective multilateralism.”

More than two years after leaving office in April 2024—following two consecutive terms—Macky Sall returned to Dakar last Friday. His visit sparked renewed criticism, with opponents renewing calls for investigations into the deaths during his presidency and the alleged concealment of economic mismanagement.