Macky Sall returns to Dakar seeking support for UN bid

Former Senegalese President Macky Sall will return to Senegal to meet his successor Bassirou Diomaye Faye for the first time since leaving power, as he seeks Dakar’s support for his candidacy to become United Nations secretary-general. The brief visit comes after years of political tensions between the two camps.

Macky Sall is set to return to Senegal for the first time since leaving office in 2024, with a three-hour visit focused on securing official support for his candidacy to lead the United Nations.

The former president announced the trip in a statement shared on social media, describing it as part of consultations and meetings linked to his campaign for the UN’s top post. His only scheduled engagement in Dakar is a meeting with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, whom he thanked for receiving him.

According to members of his political party, Sall is expected to arrive at Dakar’s former airport in Yoff at 3 p.m. and leave the country at 6 p.m.

Seeking Dakar’s endorsement

The main objective of the visit is to obtain formal backing from Senegal, which has so far remained silent on Sall’s UN ambitions and has not officially supported his candidacy.

In March, Sall failed to secure the African Union’s endorsement after 20 countries, including Senegal, opposed his bid. In a note to the AU commission, Dakar said it had neither supported nor initiated Sall’s candidacy and had not been involved in the process.

The former president had already requested Senegal’s support in a letter sent on February 5 but received no official response.

A symbolic political encounter

The meeting between Sall and Diomaye Faye carries strong political significance after two years of strained relations between the former president and the current leadership.

The tensions have been linked to several disputes, including the controversy over alleged hidden debt and the crackdown on supporters of the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (Pastef) movement during Sall’s presidency.

The Collective of Victims of Macky Sall’s regime has urged that his international ambitions should not overshadow demands for accountability over alleged abuses, arrests and violence during his time in power.

A race for the UN leadership

The UN secretary-general selection process is already underway as António Guterres’ second term approaches its end on December 31, 2026.

The next secretary-general is expected to take office in January 2027 for a five-year term, renewable once by member states.

For Macky Sall, the Dakar visit represents a crucial step in his effort to build regional and international support for his bid to lead the world body. For his successor, it presents an opportunity to redefine relations with a former rival on the international stage.