Senegal’s recently ousted Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, announced on ‌Monday that the political party he leads will not participate in the country’s new government, raising the prospect of political gridlock amid a daunting debt crisis.

Sonko said in a post on X that he met on Monday with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, his ally-turned-rival, and that “points ​of disagreement” emerged about the future role of the Pastef party, which holds a large parliamentary majority.

Therefore Pastef “will ​not participate in the next government and will not be represented by any ministers,” Sonko ⁠said.

“We wish the new team every success.”

Sonko’s announcement came one hour before his successor as Prime Minister, seasoned economist ​Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, unveiled the new 30-member government, retaining Cheikh Diba in the critical post of finance minister as negotiations ​continue with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a new lending programme.

Diba’s portfolio is being expanded to also include the Economy Ministry, something Lo said would create more “coherence” in policymaking.

The roster of Ministers appointed by Lo included at least three members of Pastef, seemingly contradicting Sonko’s earlier ​announcement.

The political upheaval comes as Senegal tries to navigate a crisis stemming from the discovery ​in 2024 of misreported debt by the previous government.

The IMF froze its $1.8 billion lending programme with Senegal following the discovery of ‌the ⁠debt, which pushed the country’s end-2024 debt level to 132% of its economic output.

Diba told parliament on May 22 that Senegal expects to resume talks with the IMF in the week of June 8 and hopes to reach agreement on key points by June 30.
Later that day, Faye sacked Sonko and dissolved the government, leading to Lo’s appointment and necessitating the ​nomination of a new cabinet.

—Reuters—