Senegal Youth Minister Djiréye Clotilde Coly pitches investment in US while facing misogynist backlash

Senegal’s Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Djiréye Clotilde Coly, addressed the Senegal Rek economic forum at Rutgers University in New Jersey, highlighting the “Sénégal 2050” transformation agenda and urging investment in sports infrastructure, the digital economy, cultural industries and industrialisation. She stressed the country’s stability, the youthful demographic – over 70 % of the population – and Senegal’s role as a gateway to a West African market of more than 400 million consumers, especially ahead of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

Since her appointment on 1 June 2026, Coly has also become the target of online criticism focused on her appearance and clothing. Former prime minister Aminata Touré publicly defended her, condemning the comments as “misogynist and medieval” and urging her to remain true to herself. Human‑rights groups such as ADHA have denounced the body‑shaming as symbolic violence, while civil‑society organisations note that only four of the thirty ministers are women, underscoring ongoing gender‑representation challenges in Senegalese politics.