Senegal economist calls for budget compromise to avoid impasse

Economist Abdoulaye Ndiaye has urged Senegalese political leaders to prioritize state interests over political strategy to resolve a looming budgetary impasse. The tension arises as Ousmane Sonko, President of the National Assembly and leader of Pastef, has threatened to block the 2026 supplementary budget law and the 2027 initial budget law.

Ndiaye warned that simply renewing a previous budget would fail to meet IMF requirements, prevent the unlocking of multilateral financing, and destabilize regional markets. He argued that dissolving the National Assembly would also fail to demonstrate a sense of state responsibility.

To resolve the crisis, Ndiaye proposed a pact based on three principles: truth, equity, and protection. This includes sharing full IMF memorandums and debt audits with the Assembly, creating an independent budgetary council, and ensuring debt treatment excludes oil and gas revenues and regional FCFA-denominated debt. He also emphasized the need for a quantified social safety net within the finance law.