The social climate is becoming increasingly tense at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The National Union of Trade Administration Agents (SYNACOM) has announced a 48-hour strike, scheduled for Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 May 2026, to denounce what it calls "serious dysfunctions" in the management of the department by Minister Serigne Guèye Diop.

In a public strike notice, SYNACOM makes a severe indictment against the ministerial authority, which it accuses of a lack of consideration for the agents and an inability to respond effectively to the difficulties encountered since taking office more than two years ago.

According to the union, the demands submitted to the minister upon his arrival have gone unanswered, despite several warnings and attempts at dialogue. SYNACOM maintains that it participated in good faith in the department's technical work, particularly in drafting regulations concerning fees charged for trade facilitation.

But for union leaders, the commitments made so far have not been honored. They particularly denounce the delay in finalizing the draft decree on fees levied on documents issued by the Trade Administration, which was presented as a crucial reform.

The union considers this text a major step forward for several reasons: it would restore greater wage equity, modernize commercial administration, strengthen economic control and market surveillance, and improve transparency in the issuance of import and export documents. SYNACOM also believes that this reform could generate significant revenue for the state in what is considered a particularly challenging economic climate.

Faced with what it perceives as broken promises and persistent administrative delays, the union has therefore decided to take action with a call for a renewable strike.

Beyond this mobilization, SYNACOM is directly appealing to the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister to become personally involved in resolving the issue. The union points out that the adoption of the implementing legislation for Law No. 2021-25 is among the instructions already issued by the Council of Ministers, but which, according to SYNACOM, are still struggling to be implemented.

This strike is shaping up to be another test for the government, which is facing rising social tensions in several sectors of the public administration.