FILDAK 2026: Dakar hosts 18th International Book Fair after eight-year hiatus

FILDAK 2026 Dakar International Book Fair Senegalese literature cultural sovereignty African publishing

The 18th edition of the Dakar International Book and Didactic Material Fair (FILDAK) officially opened on October 15, 2026, at the CICES in Senegal. The event marks the fair's return after an eight-year hiatus.

Presided over by Prime Minister Ahmadou Alhaminou M. Lô, the fair is themed ‘Library, Transmission, Sovereignty’. This edition features Egypt as the guest of honor and pays tribute to the late Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane.

The Senegalese government has outlined several cultural priorities, including the construction of a National Library, the relaunch of the Nouvelles Éditions africaines du Sénégal (NEAS), and the expansion of the national library network. Officials emphasized the importance of developing critical thinking in the digital and AI era to ensure cultural sovereignty.

Entities

Ahmadou Alhaminou M. Lo · Cheikh Hamidou Kane · Egypt · FILDAK · Senegal

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The government plans to realize a National Library project. sunuker.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The Prime Minister presided over the opening of the 18th edition of the Dakar International Book Fair (FILDAK). sunuker.com · xalimasn.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The fair returned to Dakar after an eight-year hiatus. xalimasn.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The 18th edition of FILDAK is held under the theme ‘Library, Transmission, Sovereignty’. sunuker.com · xalimasn.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Egypt is the guest of honor at this year's fair. sunuker.com · xalimasn.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The event pays tribute to the late Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane. sunuker.com · xalimasn.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The government intends to relaunch the Nouvelles Éditions africaines du Sénégal (NEAS). sunuker.com