• Discussions continue after weeks of what both sides call productive negotiations.
• The new deal follows a suspended $1.8 billion program over undisclosed debts.
• Senegal seeks to restore investor confidence amid rising public debt.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on November 4, 2025, that it has extended discussions with Senegal to finalize a new financing program, following several weeks of what both sides described as “productive” talks.

Negotiations, which began in Dakar in October, aim to establish the framework for a new lending arrangement, the IMF said. Talks will continue “in the coming days” to reach a final agreement.

The Senegalese government is eager to conclude the deal after a series of meetings in Washington between Finance Minister Cheikh Diba and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

The IMF had suspended a $1.8 billion program in 2024 after undisclosed debts were found under the previous administration. An audit by the new government revealed about $7 billion in hidden loans, leading S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s to downgrade Senegal’s sovereign credit rating.

According to IMF estimates, Senegal’s total public debt now stands at around 132% of GDP, compared with the official estimate of 119%. The discrepancy has raised investor concerns as Dakar works to rebuild market confidence and secure fresh international funding.