During the official handover ceremony held this Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Dakar, Cheikh Diba officially assumed his duties as head of the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Planning. Marking the strategic reunification of economic planning and budget management, this transition upholds the republican principle of state continuity. In his address, the minister paid a heartfelt tribute to his predecessor, Abdourahmane Sarr, while outlining a roadmap focused on the concrete social impact of policies.

The handover ceremony between the outgoing Ministry of Economy, Planning and Cooperation (MEPC) and the new Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning (MEFP) marks a turning point in Senegal's financial governance. Cheikh Diba immediately emphasized that this event goes beyond a mere administrative formality: "It is the expression of a fundamental principle that underpins public action: the continuity of the State." Addressing the senior officials and technical teams gathered for the occasion, he stressed that while organizations adapt and personnel change, "the duty to SERVE" the public interest remains unchanged.

The new minister was keen to express his gratitude for the work of his predecessor, Abdourahmane Sarr, stating that the reforms and actions carried out under his leadership "have helped to lay the foundations for the renewal of our partnerships, the strengthening of our cooperation and the consolidation of our relations with our technical and financial partners."

This transition also reflects a strong ambition championed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Amine Mohamed Lô. According to Cheikh Diba, this new unified ministerial structure "embodies a vision: that of more integrated public action and a more coherent economic policy." This major strategic entity aims to harmoniously link economic analysis, resource mobilization, development planning, and international cooperation.

Aware of the scale of the economic challenges, the minister expressed his full confidence in the available human capital, welcoming the arrival at his side of two deputy ministers: Bassirou Sarr, in charge of the Budget, and Allé Nar Diop, in charge of the Economy, Planning and Cooperation.

Acknowledging their commitment and competence, having "worked alongside them" for many years, he expressed his conviction that this new team would be able to fully live up to its role in serving the Nation. By combining the established Finance and Budget teams with those of the Economy and Planning, the ministry is now structured as "a community of talent, experience, and skills united around a common ambition."

However, it is in the area of social effectiveness that the minister expects his teams to deliver. Addressing the staff directly, he urged them to maintain a dynamic of rigor, humility, and determination: "The purpose of economic action is not limited to managing figures. It lies above all in the concrete improvement of the living conditions of the population."

For the new leadership of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Planning (MEFP), the success of a macroeconomic policy will be measured solely by its real impact on the daily lives of society. The minister concluded his address with a reminder of the importance of accountability, which must guide every public decision: “At the end of every economic policy, every budget, every funded project, every partnership agreement, there is a citizen, a family, a business, a region that expects results. It is to them that we must answer. And it is for them that we serve.”