Gambiaj.com – (NEW YORK, United States) – Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has raised the election of the next United Nations secretary-general with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as Dakar steps up diplomatic efforts in support of former President Macky Sall’s candidacy for the top UN post.
Faye met Lavrov in New York on Thursday on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
According to the Senegalese presidency, the two discussed Senegal-Russia relations, international affairs, and issues of peace and security before turning to the election of the next UN secretary-general.
The presidency did not explicitly say that Faye asked Russia to support Sall, but the discussion comes as Senegal’s diplomatic machinery is being mobilized behind the former president’s bid.
Senegal Mobilizes Behind Macky
Faye formally endorsed Sall’s candidacy in July and instructed the Senegalese government and diplomatic network to promote it among UN member states. Sall, who served as Senegal’s president from 2012 to 2024, is seeking to succeed António Guterres when his term ends on December 31, 2026.
The Russian meeting is particularly significant because Moscow is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, giving it a veto over substantive Council decisions. Sall himself met Lavrov in Moscow on July 20 as part of his campaign, with the two discussing the future of the UN and Russia’s expectations of candidates for the secretary-general position.
Faye’s engagement with Lavrov therefore places Russia among the major international capitals being engaged as Senegal seeks support for Sall.
Faye’s New York Diplomacy
The meeting with Lavrov forms part of an intensive diplomatic schedule by Faye in New York. Senegalese media have highlighted his meetings with several world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, amid discussions about the succession to Guterres.
The Senegalese presidency said Faye reiterated Dakar’s commitment to dialogue, peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect for the UN Charter during his discussion with Lavrov.
The presidency also said the two officials discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between Senegal and Russia.
Sall’s candidacy was originally submitted by Burundi, which currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the African Union. Senegal’s decision to subsequently throw its weight behind his bid has turned the former president’s campaign into an official state-backed diplomatic effort.
With Faye now raising the UN succession with Russia, France, and other international partners in New York, Senegal’s campaign for Sall is increasingly taking center stage in the country’s diplomatic activity around the UN General Assembly.
Leave a Reply