The authorities have decided to continue with the 2023-2026 program agreed with the IMF, whose delegation has been in Dakar for a week. For Faye-Sonko, the visions of the two parties converge, whereas some might have feared that cooperation would be called into question. As for the 100,000 social housing projects and the family security grants, they have decided to maintain continuity. In the meantime?

What can we say? In his statement to the Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister detailed his discussions with the head of the International Monetary Fund’s Technical Services Mission, currently in Dakar: “Discussions with the IMF Technical Mission revealed a satisfactory assessment of the new authorities’ strong commitment to better economic and social governance. The Mission also noted the similarity of the government’s program with the one signed with the IMF.” In clear terms, the new authorities are pursuing the 2023-2026 program signed with the International Monetary Fund, which provides for a total disbursement of around 1150 billion CFA francs. Finally, a new Mission will come to Dakar at the beginning of June 2024, to review the program and prepare a second disbursement in July 2024, after validation by the IMF Board of Directors.

In its April 24 edition, Le Quotidien announced the visit of an IMF delegation following the stay in Washington of the Ministers of Finance and Economy and the Secretary General of the Government, to discuss economic and financial policy orientations with the new authorities. If this Mission was to be one of clarification, it can be said that the clouds have been cleared to allow the program to continue, especially as some might have feared the suspension of cooperation until the conclusion of new conclusive negotiations. The sovereignty-loaded speech delivered by the Minister of the Economy, Cooperation and Planning during the handover of office might have suggested other prospects. But no!

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On the other hand, he is confident that the government will continue to honour its electoral commitments, notably the reduction or outright abolition of subsidies on certain products to ease prices. He reiterated this at the Cabinet meeting. A technical meeting with employers, trade unions and consumers was held yesterday at the Prime Ministers Office, to try and find the right formula to achieve this. On the face of it, it is still proving difficult to find the best mechanism for reducing and regulating prices.

100,000 social housing units, family security grants to continue

Today, Ousmane Sonko also announced that the “priority measures in the government’s roadmap will also focus on the 2024 agricultural production campaign” and, above all, the ‘100,000 Housing Program’”. If the latest measures concerning land, notably the suspension of work on the Urban Pole of Dagga-Kholpa, the heart of the project, and in other areas, will slow progress, the government has decided to follow in the footsteps of the previous regime to enable the Senegalese people to have access to a less expensive roof over their heads. In addition, there is also the continuation of a major program on the social “net”. 

There is also the continuation of a major social “safety net” program.

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According to the communiqué of the Council of Ministers, the President of the Republic has indicated the urgent need “to update the Single National Register (Rnu) before June 30, 2024, and to review the eligibility criteria and the beneficiary list of Family Security Grants”. The amount of the grants has risen from 25,000 to 35,000 CFA francs per quarter, and affects one million households. At the start of the program, 320 households were concerned.

In the transport sector, President Faye wants a “rapid assessment of the management system of public transport companies, in particular Dakar Dem Dikk, including an audit of activities, bus fleets, human resources, the business model and overall governance”. What about Brt, still in its trial phase? “He also invited the Minister of Land Transport to report on the effective launch of the Bus Rapid Transit (Brt) and its operating and management procedures. On the road to continuity?

By Bocar SAKHO / bsakho@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH