Stories from Senegal

A new electoral law in Senegal aims to remove opinion-based offenses from the list of convictions that can render a person ineligible for office. Proponents say the law prevents political abuse, but critics cite a lack of consultation and concerns over retroactivity.

The Senegalese National Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday clearing Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to run in the 2029 presidential election. The move follows legislative action to facilitate his potential candidacy.

The change involves the introduction of retroactivity regarding certain sentence executions.

Emmanuel Macron acknowledged in 2024 that a massacre occurred in 1993. The event reportedly resulted in between 200 and 300 soldiers being killed.

The Supreme Court of Senegal has granted provisional liberty to Mayor and Deputy Farba Hongom. Hongom, an associate of former President Macky Sall, had been in pretrial detention since February 2025. He faces charges including incitement and fraud.

Senegalese justice authorities have ordered the release of Farba Ngom, a deputy close to former President Macky Sall.

Perenco plans to build a large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility at Cap Lopez. The project includes gas processing, liquefaction, and storage components. The development is led and financed by the Thayayaoui group. Deputy General Manager Néstor Aure stated the company has allocated a $2 billion budget for the project. Néstor Aure, the company's deputy director general, confirmed the $2 billion figure. Construction on part of the future plant is currently underway. The project is expected to involve capital expenditure. A portion of the future plant is currently being assembled in the Middle East. In Gabon, Perenco is constructing a 500 km pipeline network to collect gas from various locations in the south of the country.

Coalition leaders criticized a proposed electoral law introduced by the Pastef party, citing a lack of consultation with the opposition and rushed procedures. The coalition argues the reform focuses too narrowly on the eligibility of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Members of the coalition stated that while the principle of preventing judicial interference in candidate eligibility was previously accepted, the current method is flawed. The coalition is now supporting an alternative modification to the electoral code released by the executive branch. This alternative text excludes the principle of retroactivity found in article 2 of the Pastef bill. A public law professor suggested that the principle of retroactivity could be censored if the Constitutional Council is seized. The report was filed by Pauline Neutroquiez in Dakar.

Energy shortages are causing disruptions in the metropolis of Dakar, which has a population of 10 million. A textile manufacturer reported traffic congestion caused by the shortage. Long queues have formed at gas stations, with lines extending at least half a kilometer. To conserve electricity, local businesses and government authorities have begun closing earlier.

A new finger-based medical test that does not require laboratory equipment is expected to see initial study results in the coming months. The test will be mass-produced in a Senegalese factory currently being set up. Partners such as Médecins Sans Frontières intend to distribute the test to remote areas. This version of the test is designed for high portability in field settings. Initial study results for the test are expected within the next few months. The device is intended to be highly portable for field use. A factory in Dakar is set to produce new rapid diagnostic tests for epidemic diseases. These tests will target illnesses such as meningococcal meningitis and yellow fever. The technology aims to address diseases that cause ongoing deaths globally, particularly across the African continent. The development was discussed by Thidiane Dianne of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar.