• Senegal’s Faye, France’s Macron discuss trade, defense, investment ties

• Sixth intergovernmental seminar set for September in Dakar

• Paris remains key investor as Senegal seeks “win-win” partnership
  

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye met with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, while in Paris for the Entrepreneurs' Meeting of France.

Following the working breakfast, a statement from Dakar indicated that discussions focused on "cooperation programs and the strengthening of the renewed partnership between Senegal and France, particularly in the areas of investment, trade, defense, and security."

The next meeting is an intergovernmental seminar scheduled for September in Dakar. Senegal is the only sub-Saharan African country to have this format with France, which will be the setting for defining the strategic priorities of the bilateral partnership. The ruling party, Pastef, has stated its desire to reorient the relationship.

This sixth intergovernmental seminar comes at a sensitive time. President Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko have consistently criticized the current state of relations with Paris, which many activists accuse of perpetuating colonial ties. As a powerful symbol of this shift, France returned its last military installations in July, ending the presence of French troops in Senegal. The Elysée Palace also appears open to redefining the partnership. In November 2024, Macron officially acknowledged France's responsibility for the massacre of African tirailleurs at Thiaroye, a gesture praised by Faye, who has since invited him to the second commemoration of the event on December 1, 2025, in Dakar.

Unlike countries in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) that have severed ties with Paris, Dakar favors a more pragmatic approach. While auditing public finances and cooperation agreements, Senegalese authorities have affirmed their intent to establish "win-win" relations with France and other partners, centered on leveraging national resources.

In this context, Paris remains a key partner. France is the largest foreign investor in Senegal, accounting for 16% of foreign direct investment in 2023, and a crucial player among international donors. France could also facilitate potential discussions on Senegal's national debt. It remains a major supplier, providing 12% of Senegal's imports in 2023, even as China took the top spot in 2024. This rebalancing will likely influence the upcoming negotiations.

According to the French Treasury, more than 270 French companies are operating in Senegal, employing over 31,000 people, 86% of whom are Senegalese.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou