Last Saturday, March 28th, engineer Abdel Kader Ndiaye was elected president of the National Confederation of Employers of Senegal (CNES). For a long time, Abdel Kader Ndiaye operated in the shadow of the indefatigable Mansour Kama, who dominated the business world with his imposing stature. He even earned the nickname "Kama's Boy." Indeed, he never hid this fact. He was one of the "emissaries" of the late, powerful president of the National Confederation of Employers of Senegal (CNES), Mansour Kama, who passed away on August 2, 2020. The student learned well from the master. Today, this brilliant engineer, a graduate of the École Polytechnique, has become the head of the powerful CNES.

The "missi dominici" were itinerant royal inspectors, established by Charlemagne around 800 to oversee the administration of the Carolingian Empire. This definition, drawn from AI, perfectly describes the new president of the CNES (National Economic and Social Council). Abdel Kader Ndiaye has successfully positioned himself at the heart of the inner circle, the first circle of trust of the late President Mansour Kama. For nearly two decades at the helm of the CNES, Mansour Kama carefully selected the men behind the scenes with whom he sought to lead the fight for the triumph of national enterprise and national preference. This commitment of the late CNES president spared no regime, neither that of Diouf, with whom he had a close relationship, nor those successively embodied by Presidents Wade and Macky Sall. The late CNES president relentlessly denounced the obstacles placed by the state under various regimes in the development of national enterprises and, above all, in the promotion of national preference. The late Mansour Kama envisioned "an uninhibited business community." He successfully instilled this vision in his successor, who takes the reins of the powerful CNES this Saturday, March 28, 2026, following the Adama Lam interlude. Incidentally, Abdel Kader Ndiaye was eager to make a splash after Adama Lam was chosen to succeed Mansour Kama. Quite simply, he saw himself as the designated successor to "his mentor." He shared this ambition with another leader of the business organization, Babacar Ndiayte. Mansour Cama can now rest easy. The legacy is in good hands. Abdel Kader Ndiaye arrives at the head of the CNES with the positive expectations of his peers, as well as those of the wider business community. A highly qualified engineer from the École Polytechnique, holding an MBA, Abdel Kader Ndiaye has demonstrated throughout his leadership role a passion for local businesses, uninhibited by a strong and sovereignist doctrinal approach. He has been heading the National Union of Building and Public Works (SNBTP) of the CNES for some time. Abdel Kader Ndiaye now enjoys both technical and historical legitimacy. Backed by his legacy as a loyal associate of the late Mansour Kama, and by the recognition of his peers as Vice-President of the Dakar Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Trade, as well as his key role in working groups during the Presidential Investment Councils (CPI), the new head of the CNES has the profile of a builder, well-versed in the intricacies of public-private dialogue, and can significantly influence the concerns of Senegalese business leaders and companies. He will have little time to rest. The man is already familiar with the pressing issues requiring immediate attention to the concerns of local businesses that are on the brink of collapse. This Saturday, before his peers, Abdel Kader Ndiaye outlined his roadmap. The immediate and enormous challenges revolve around the thorny issue of domestic debt, economic recovery, the project to reunify employers and professionals, and the relaunch of major national projects. For him, the most urgent matter is clearing the debts owed to the state. This is a vital, top-level emergency for the survival of the national economy. The extreme cash flow problems strangling SMEs and major construction companies pose a challenge for business leaders, who must seek to secure a payment schedule from the government to restore the viability of local businesses, enabling them to meet their expenses and, above all, to resume essential investments to preserve businesses and jobs. Speaking to his peers this Saturday, March 28, Abdel Kader Ndiaye also emphasized his unwavering commitment to promoting national preference and ensuring access for local businesses to major public contracts. His dual expertise as a business leader and as someone well-versed in public-private dialogue will be a significant asset in pushing the government to take action.

ABDEL KADER NDIAYE, PRESIDENT OF THE CNES: "Building a credible employers' association..."

His ambition is clear. Just hours before being appointed head of the CNES, Abdou Kader Ndiaye addressed his colleagues, business leaders, and members of their organization's extended family, telling them that his ambition is to "build a credible employers' association, a lever for our economic and social development: our responsibility, our moment." Before his peers, through his program and vision, he outlined his roadmap. "Before we begin, I wish to pay tribute with emotion and respect to the legacy of our illustrious predecessors. Let us honor the memory of the late Mansour Kama, whose vision forged our foundation, as well as the late Mor Tala Kane, who was the driving force of the organization until the end of his life. They made the CNES a true bulwark for the national private sector, and it is on these solid foundations that we must now build our future," said President Abdel Kader Ndiaye. "Look around you." This room is the engine of the Senegalese economy. We are not merely employers; we are the guarantors of social stability and the architects of our country's sovereignty. Yet, we face a paradox. Senegal is positioned as one of Africa's most dynamic economies; however, the share captured by our national companies remains all too often marginal. Payment delays stifle us, access to financing remains an uphill battle, and international competition offers us no quarter. Our image and reputation deserve a boost. This is why the reunification project remains a major focus of our program, because to fulfill our leadership ambitions, the only effective solution is unification—a project already underway, in an advanced and irreversible process, with our sister organization, the CNP. Let us therefore remain confident in the future. Being President of the CNES is not simply occupying a seat. "It's about waving a shield to defend and develop the private sector," added the new president of the CNES. He stated that his candidacy was not that of a single individual, but rather that of a method and a model team—a dream team. His program rests on five major pillars: training, strategic partnerships, priority actions, promotion of the "Made in Senegal" label, and strategic communication.