Communiqué du Conseil des Ministres du Mercredi 11 Février 2026
The Council of Ministers was held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar FAYE, President of the Republic.
UNDER THE HEADING OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC'S COMMUNICATION
The Head of State made a statement covering the following points:
Consensual modernization of university governance
The President of the Republic began his address by emphasizing the modernization and stability of the higher education, research, and innovation sector, key factors in academic excellence and the successful implementation of the "Senegal 2050" vision. Recalling the critical nature of the higher education sector, he highlighted the recurring systemic crises and the complexity of the issues and solutions. After paying tribute to the memory of Abdoulaye Ba, the deceased student, he offered his condolences to the bereaved family, the university community, and the entire Senegalese people.
The Head of State calls for aligning the higher education and research system with the highest international standards. He instructs the Government to establish an ongoing dialogue with all members of the university community to ensure adherence to academic calendars and the requirements of the LMD (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate) system, as well as the administrative, budgetary, and financial governance rules governing public universities and social welfare centers. Finally, he emphasizes the need to expedite the process of reaching a consensus on the recommendations stemming from consultations on the National Agenda for the Transformation of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation.
Economic tour of the Tambacounda and Kédougou regions
The Head of State informs the Council that he carried out an economic tour in the regions of Tambacounda and Kédougou from February 5 to 8, 2026, before thanking the people, the decentralized administrative authorities, the elected officials and territorial actors for their welcome, their mobilization and the smooth running of the visits in the localities and sites programmed.
Highlighting the vast economic potential of eastern Senegal, designated a priority development hub in the National Transformation Agenda, the President of the Republic has instructed the Government to expedite the implementation of projects related to the construction of schools, high schools, the University of Eastern Senegal, Higher Institutes of Professional Studies (ISEP), the Bakel Hospital, administrative buildings, and other public facilities. He emphasized the importance of accelerating the electrification of villages and improving access to drinking water for the population, strengthening security coverage, and opening up the eastern part of the country, particularly the Kédougou Region, by road, air, and digital infrastructure. To this end, he has asked the Prime Minister to ensure the revitalization of the Dakar-Kidira railway line and the operational development of the dry port in Tambacounda.
In the same vein, he emphasized the importance of guiding urban development, supporting the local private sector, strategic control and systematic monitoring of mining operations, particularly gold mining, and promoting the Niokolo-Koba National Park, all within the framework of revitalizing Senegal as a tourist destination. Finally, the President of the Republic instructed the Prime Minister to work with all stakeholders on developing and implementing a special investment program called the "Diomaye Plan for Eastern Senegal," aimed at addressing the infrastructure deficit and ensuring a stronger state presence in the eastern part of the country.
Preparations for the month of Ramadan and Lent
The President of the Republic notes that the month of Ramadan and Lent are significant times of religious fervor, communion, and solidarity. To this end, he instructs the Government to take appropriate measures to ensure adequate market supplies and stable prices for essential foodstuffs and products, and to implement dedicated public support mechanisms for the most vulnerable households and groups.
Finally, he asks the Prime Minister and the Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs to ensure that all the necessary steps are taken by public actors and private operators to ensure the organization, under the best conditions, of the 2026 edition of the Pilgrimage to the Holy Places.
Strengthening the prevention and control of coastal erosion
Faced with the threat posed by coastal erosion to localities located on the coast, particularly islands, the Head of State requests that the mapping of affected or threatened areas be finalized and that the economic, environmental and social impact of the various adaptation and resilience projects be assessed.
It indicates the urgency of a concerted update of strategies, plans, projects and actions for the prevention and control of coastal erosion and asks the Minister of the Environment and Ecological Transition to propose a new policy for the prevention and control of coastal erosion, accompanied by innovative, adapted and sustainable structuring projects.
Agenda of the President of the Republic
The Head of State informs the Council that he will hold a meeting on February 12, 2026, with the regional governors, in the form of a seminar to evaluate and review the security, economic, social and environmental projects and priorities of each region, in the presence of the Prime Minister and some members of the Government.
UNDER THE HEADING OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S COMMUNICATION
The Prime Minister focused his communication on the following points:
Salt industry
The Prime Minister began by highlighting the strategic potential of the salt sector. He noted Senegal's position as one of Africa's leading salt producers and the largest producer and exporter in West Africa, with an estimated annual production of over 500,000 tons. However, he observed that the sector's economic contribution remains limited. The value of salt production represents approximately 0.3% of the national GDP, while a significant portion is still exported in raw or minimally processed form. According to the Prime Minister, this situation reduces the value captured by the national economy and perpetuates a dependence on imports for certain refined products and chemical derivatives. Yet, the strategic development of this sector represents a major opportunity to strengthen the national industrial base, improve the trade balance, stimulate local economies, and foster the emergence of high value-added industries. By 2034, the salt sector has the potential to create more than 30,000 formal jobs and generate a turnover of 350 billion FCFA.
Furthermore, according to the Prime Minister, choosing the salt sector will make the Central Territorial Hub the industrial heart of Senegalese salt. This will allow for the development, by 2050, of an integrated territorial ecosystem around salt, covering the entire value chain, from modernized production, including packaging, to support services, encompassing industrial processing, transport logistics, and storage.
Finally, the Prime Minister recalls the ambition of the State which is to make "Salt of Senegal" a quality label, a leader in the regional market and competitive in international markets.
Air Senegal situation
The Prime Minister outlined the difficulties facing Air Senegal. These difficulties, which extend beyond the financial performance of an airline, jeopardize Senegal's image worldwide, its strategic connectivity, its tourist and economic appeal, its vital link with the diaspora, and the confidence of its partners. Consequently, he gave the Minister of Land and Air Transport 30 days to implement the key measures of the Interministerial Council dedicated to the sector. These measures include ensuring the finalization and accelerated implementation of the comprehensive operational recovery plan, the effective launch of the refinancing operation, the presentation of a detailed proposal for a definitive recapitalization, and the completion of the rationalization audit, along with the adoption of the corrective plan. The Prime Minister also asks the Minister of Finance to work on the urgent mobilization of the resources necessary for Air Senegal to clear, through an exceptional and justified budgetary redeployment, the due and unavoidable commitments to suppliers essential to its operation, in order to guarantee the continuity of the public air service.
Universities' Situation
Addressing the situation in universities, and particularly in Dakar, the Prime Minister first expressed his profound sadness following the tragic death of student Abdoulaye Ba and offered his condolences to his family, the university community, and the entire nation. He deplored the use of violence and called upon the Minister of Justice to ensure that all legal proceedings are carried out, establishing all responsibilities in general and the circumstances of this death in particular. The Prime Minister noted the need to continue the ongoing reforms of the universities and encouraged the Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation in this regard. He also asked the Minister of the Interior and Public Security to continue ensuring the security and complete pacification of university campuses.
The Prime Minister concluded his communication by announcing that he will travel to Addis Ababa on February 14 and 15, 2026, to represent the President of the Republic at the 39th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
UNDER THE HEADING OF COMMUNICATIONS FROM MINISTERS
The Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy gave a presentation on Senegal's National Port Strategy.
The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Public Service Reform gave a report on the national social climate and the progress of processing trade union grievances.
The Minister of Youth and Sports gave a presentation on the governance and organization of the security service for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Dakar, 2026.
UNDER LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY TEXTS
The Council examined and adopted:
the bill relating to factoring activity;
the bill relating to leasing.
Marie Rose Khady Fatou FAYE,
Secretary of State to the Prime Minister,
Head of Institutional Relations,
Government Spokesperson
Commentaires (14)
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.