Senegal's new culture minister Alpha Thiam urges discipline at ministry handover

On 9 June, Senegal held a handover ceremony for the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Handicrafts in Diamniadio. The newly appointed minister, Alpha Thiam, thanked President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Al Amine Lo, then interrupted his speech to rebuke participants talking in the back of the room. He said, “Madame, be quiet… we cannot build the country in a mess,” stressing the need for discipline and respect for institutions. Thiam cited Singapore as a model, stating that Senegal can achieve similar economic and institutional transformation if behaviours change. He pledged to make culture, tourism and handicrafts drivers of growth for “Senegal 2050.” The remarks drew mixed reactions, with some observers calling them inappropriate while others defended them as a response to the disruption.

The ceremony also saw the installation of Mame Coumba Diop as minister in charge of cultural creative industries, underscoring the government's focus on the sector.