Senegal's President Faye launches new ruling party as ex-leader Macky Sall courts UN backing

Former Senegalese president Macky Sall returned to Dakar on 17 July 2026 and met his successor, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to brief him on his candidacy for the United Nations Secretary‑General post. The visit was followed by a stop in Banjul, where Sall also sought the support of Gambian President Adama Barrow. Sall’s campaign includes consultations with leaders across Africa and Europe and has drawn criticism from opposition figures who cite the 86 deaths and a hidden debt of more than 25 500 billion FCFA linked to his tenure.

Meanwhile, President Faye’s coalition, Diomaye Président, has accelerated the creation of a new mass political party. Leaders gathered at the King Fahd Palace on 19 July 2026 to adopt founding documents and set a constitutive congress for 25 July, marking the party’s official birth. The new organisation aims to consolidate the presidential majority, expand territorial presence and serve as the primary mobilising instrument for Faye’s agenda. Both developments signal a reshaping of Senegal’s domestic politics and its diplomatic outreach ahead of the UN Secretary‑General selection process.