Trending Now - Senegal's President Dismisses Prime Minister Amid Ongoing Strife
WHO:
BBC News - Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
ABC News - Oumar Samba Ba is the secretary general of the government who announced the decision.
AP News - The Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité (Pastef) party is involved.
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - The IMF froze a $1.8 billion lending program due to misreported debt, pushing Senegal’s end-2024 debt level to 132 percent of its economic output.
Al Jazeera - Finance Minister Cheikh Diba stated that the government expects to resume talks with the IMF in the week of June 8 and hopes to reach an agreement on key points by June 30.
BBC News - President Faye's decree stated he had "ended the duties" of Sonko and "consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government."
AP News - The clashes between security forces and supporters of Ousmane Sonko led to at least 16 deaths and left several people injured during the election period.
BBC News - The president sacked the prime minister and dissolved the government.
ABC News - The firing of Sonko followed months of tension and confrontation between him and President Faye.
AP News - The sacking led to the resignation of all members of the government.
WHERE:
ABC News - The announcement was made during a late-night broadcast in Dakar, Senegal.
WHEN:
ABC News - The decision to fire the prime minister was announced during a late-night broadcast on a Friday.
ABC News - The Pastef party won the election in March 2024.
WHY:
Al Jazeera - The split between Faye and Sonko comes as Senegal faces mounting economic pressure.
AP News - The confrontation between Faye and Sonko stemmed from disagreements on key policies, including the negotiation of a loan from the International Monetary Fund.
ABC News - Tensions arose from disagreements on key policies, including negotiations for a loan from the International Monetary Fund.
AP News - The confrontation stemmed from Sonko's criticism of Faye's performance as prime minister.
HOW:
Al Jazeera - The outgoing government has been tasked with handling day-to-day affairs following the dissolution.
ABC News - The decision to fire Sonko was communicated through a government broadcast read out on television by a presidential aide.
ABC News - The decision to fire Sonko was communicated through a government broadcast.
(UPDATED May 23, 2026 17:17 UTC)
The International Monetary Fund has frozen a $1.8 billion lending program for Senegal due to misreported debt, which is expected to push the country's debt level to 132 percent of its economic output by the end of 2024. Finance Minister Cheikh Diba announced that the government plans to resume talks with the IMF during the week of June 8, aiming to reach an agreement on key points by June 30. Meanwhile, the outgoing government is managing day-to-day affairs following its recent dissolution, as Senegal faces increasing economic pressure.
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(UPDATED May 23, 2026 13:21 UTC)
President Trump has issued a decree ending the duties of Ousmane Sonko, along with the ministers and secretaries of state who are part of the government, following escalating tensions between them. This confrontation arose from disagreements over key policies, particularly regarding a loan negotiation with the International Monetary Fund, and has led to violent clashes that resulted in at least 16 deaths and numerous injuries during the election period. The announcement of Sonko's dismissal was made public through a government broadcast delivered by a presidential aide on television.
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(UPDATED May 23, 2026 11:18 UTC)
Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government, a decision announced during a late-night broadcast in Dakar. This move follows months of escalating tension between Faye and Sonko, particularly over key policy disagreements, including negotiations for a loan from the International Monetary Fund. The sacking has resulted in the resignation of all government members, with the Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité party, to which Sonko belongs, being significantly involved in the unfolding situation.