SENEGAL PRESIDENT FAYE SACKS PRIME MINISTER SONKO, DISSOLVES GOVERNMENT

May 22, 2026May 22, 2026

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Agency Report

Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Friday dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following months of growing tensions within the country’s leadership.

The dramatic development was announced on state television through a presidential decree read by presidential aide Oumar Samba Ba.

According to the decree, President Faye “has ended the duties of Ousmane Sonko and consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government.”

The move is expected to deepen political uncertainty in the debt-burdened West African nation, where relations between the president and the prime minister had reportedly deteriorated in recent months.

Although details surrounding the disagreements were not immediately disclosed, the dismissal marks one of the most significant political shake-ups in Senegal since the current administration came to power.

The dissolution of the government means all ministers and state secretaries serving under Sonko have also lost their positions pending the formation of a new cabinet.

Observers say the development could have major implications for governance, economic reforms, and political stability in Senegal as the country grapples with rising debt and mounting public expectations.