Senegal backs Macky Sall's bid for UN Secretary-General

Senegal has officially thrown its support behind former President Macky Sall's bid to become the next United Nations Secretary-General, marking a dramatic policy shift.

The announcement comes just days after Sall met President Bassirou Diomaye Faye during his first visit to Dakar since leaving office in 2024.

Until now, Faye's government had refused to endorse Sall, accusing his administration of political repression and concealing economic data during his final years in power. Those allegations remain a source of deep political division.

Despite that history, the foreign ministry says President Faye has instructed Senegal's diplomatic missions worldwide to campaign for Sall's candidacy, calling it a bid that serves both Senegal and Africa.

Sall was nominated earlier this year by Burundi, the current African Union chair. However, his return to Dakar also reignited criticism from opponents seeking accountability for the deadly unrest that marked his final years in office.