Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – Senegal’s former President Macky Sall will be received in audience by his successor, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, this Friday, July 17, in what will be their first official meeting since the solemn transfer of power in April 2024, according to concordant reports from political circles close to the former head of state.
The announcement, first shared within circles close to Mr. Sall, has set in motion preparations for his reception and visit to Senegal, with the meeting also expected to feature on the agenda of the next conference of leaders of the coalitions concerned.
A Symbolic Reunion
The audience carries considerable symbolic weight. It will mark the very first official encounter between the sitting head of state and his predecessor since the formal handover ceremony in April 2024. Since leaving office, the former president has settled in Morocco, and his interactions with Senegal’s new authorities have remained particularly limited, making Friday’s face-to-face a notable moment at the highest level of Senegalese politics.
Dakar-based outlet Dakaractu reported that the meeting is expected to take place around July 17, though it remains subject to confirmation of the official calendar.
The Push for UN Support
Beyond diplomatic courtesy, the timing is significant. Mr. Sall is a declared candidate for the post of United Nations Secretary-General, seeking to succeed António Guterres, and Friday’s audience is widely expected to touch on whether Dakar will formally back his bid.
The push for regional support has been building for days. On July 7, Presidents Diomaye Faye of Senegal and Adama Barrow of The Gambia jointly received Bissau-Guinean leader Umaro Sissoco Embaló, one of Mr.
Sall’s strongest backers, in what was widely read as a step toward securing regional endorsement for the UN bid. Reports indicate Mr. Sall is expected to undertake a regional tour taking him to both Dakar and Banjul, stops considered crucial as he seeks the backing of his home country’s diplomatic machinery to strengthen his candidacy.
The stakes are notable given Senegal’s earlier position. In March 2026, Dakar had officially denied backing Mr. Sall’s candidacy, stating instead that the push had originated from Burundi. Since then, momentum appears to have shifted, with veteran journalist Madiambal Diagne noting on social media that “lines are moving” on the question of official Senegalese support for the bid.
Civil society voices have also weighed in. Alioune Tine, founder of the Afrikajom Center, has publicly urged President Diomaye Faye to give the “green light” now that the UN race is entering its final stretch, arguing that state backing could prove decisive.
Should Friday’s meeting proceed as planned, it would mark not only a rare personal reconciliation between Senegal’s past and present leaders but also potentially a turning point in Dakar’s official stance on one of the most closely watched African candidacies for the world body’s top job.
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