The announcement of Macky Sall’s candidacy for United Nations Secretary-General has ignited fierce debate across Senegal. Days after Burundi—current chair of the African Union—nominated him for the role, the former president returned to Dakar for a meeting with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The encounter has drawn sharp criticism from groups representing victims of political violence during his administration.
Macky Sall’s bid, framed by his supporters as a chance to amplify Africa’s voice in global diplomacy, comes after his term leading the African Union from February 2022 to February 2023. Yet in Senegal, his leadership record is under scrutiny. Opposition figures and human rights advocates argue that his government’s response to protests between 2021 and 2024, which left dozens dead, disqualifies him from receiving state support.
Collectives of victims’ families have been vocal in their opposition. Mouhamed Fadel Bodian, a spokesperson for one such group, expressed alarm over the meeting between the two leaders.
« We are deeply troubled by the meeting between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and former President Macky Sall regarding his UN candidacy. In our view, Mr. Sall is not a suitable candidate to receive Senegal’s endorsement, » he stated.
Boubacar Sèye, head of an association representing victims’ families, emphasized the human cost of Sall’s presidency.
« For us, this is not just about politics—it’s about a leader whose time in office is tied to one of the darkest chapters in our recent history. Dozens lost their lives in political demonstrations, » he said.
The criticism extends beyond civil society. Guy Marius Sagna, a lawmaker from the ruling Pastef party, condemned the visit in stark terms.
« This meeting is a fresh wound. It reopens the pain of arrests, torture, and killings that scarred our nation between 2021 and 2024. These victims gave everything to defend Senegal’s democracy, » he argued.
The dispute over Sall’s candidacy unfolds against a backdrop of a crowded international race to replace António Guterres, whose term ends in December 2026. Two candidates have already been formally registered: former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa Rica has also proposed its former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, though her official nomination has not yet been submitted.
Calls for the UN’s first female Secretary-General are growing, adding another layer of complexity to the selection process. The UN Security Council is set to begin formal evaluations of candidates before the end of July. Its recommendation will then go to the UN General Assembly, the body responsible for electing the next leader for a five-year term, renewable once.
For Macky Sall, the stakes are higher than international diplomacy alone. His bid for the UN top job is now entangled in Senegal’s own struggles with memory, justice, and national healing.
