Zéro droit de douane : faire du vaste marché chinois une grande opportunité pour le Sénégal et l’Afrique
On February 14, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the 39th African Union Summit and announced that, starting May 1, 2026, China would fully implement zero-tariff treatment for all African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations. Simultaneously, China will continue to discuss and sign economic partnership agreements for shared development and expand access for African products to the Chinese market by improving the "green channel," among other measures.
This initiative builds upon and strengthens the zero-tariff treatment already granted to 33 African countries, including Senegal, starting December 1, 2024. It aims to further align China's high-level opening-up with the priority needs of African countries in terms of increasing exports, attracting investment, and creating jobs. It will foster Sino-African cooperation in green industries, e-commerce and payments, technology, artificial intelligence, and other emerging sectors. This zero-tariff treatment, a flagship measure of Sino-African cooperation in the new era, sends a strong signal of the opening of the Chinese market and represents a significant development opportunity for Africa.
The international community welcomed this initiative. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on all developed and economically sound countries to adopt similar measures. Many African states, through their governments, the private sector, and think tank researchers, emphasized the particular importance of the new initiatives announced by President Xi Jinping, especially the zero-tariff policy. These initiatives, in a global context marked by uncertainty, offer new opportunities for African businesses and illustrate the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa in their journey toward modernization.
Making tariff exemptions a lever for shared prosperity between China and Senegal
Senegal is an important country in West Africa and on the African continent. It was the first West African country to sign the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation document with China. The conclusion, in June 2025, of the framework agreement for economic partnership for shared development with China provides greater stability and broader prospects for bilateral trade and investment. In 2025, the volume of Sino-Senegalese trade reached a record level of over US$6.2 billion, an increase of 7.3% compared to the previous year. China remains Senegal's largest trading partner and the main provider of bilateral financing.
The year 2026 will mark the beginning of the implementation of China's 15th Five -Year Plan, which defines China's future development trajectory and presents opportunities for achieving the Senegal Vision 2050. Zero tariff treatment, as an integrated trade and investment measure, will significantly facilitate access for high-quality Senegalese agricultural products to the Chinese market of 1.4 billion consumers, including peanuts, sesame, cashew nuts, seafood, and iconic products such as baobab, hibiscus, and ditakh. Improved and stabilized export prospects will encourage foreign investment in Senegal, thereby boosting local manufacturing and upgrading industries. This dynamic will contribute to the emergence of centers of excellence and the transformation of the country into a regional industrial and export hub. Such development will generate job creation for young people and improve the well-being of populations.
In its quest for development and revitalization, Senegal has found in China a partner and a loyal brother. China will continue to be, regardless of the vagaries of the international situation, the engine of global economic growth. It will resolutely pursue its high-level opening-up policy, assume greater international obligations, and continue to take concrete steps to reduce tariffs, stimulate development, improve living standards, and combat the arbitrary imposition of customs duties.
China is ready to work hand in hand with Senegal to perfect trade facilitation mechanisms, realize the potential of tariff exemptions as an engine of shared prosperity, ensure that people benefit more from the fruits of cooperation, and open new prospects for the China-Senegal comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and the building of the China-Africa community with a shared future for all time in the new era.
Embassy of China in Senegal
![[EXCLUSIF] Actes contre nature : Un nouveau réseau démantelé, un célèbre journaliste de télé cité](https://image.seneweb.com/content/news/2026-09-27//thumb_1260x800_69a20e8d06dd4_2e752tuGgX.jpeg)
Commentaires (7)
Participer à la Discussion
Règles de la communauté :
💡 Astuce : Utilisez des emojis depuis votre téléphone ou le module emoji ci-dessous. Cliquez sur GIF pour ajouter un GIF animé. Collez un lien X/Twitter, TikTok ou Instagram pour l'afficher automatiquement.