Senegal urged to address economic reform delays

Key takeaways from the 11th UEMOA annual review in Dakar

The political phase of the 11th annual review of UEMOA community reforms concluded yesterday in Dakar, following a one-day postponement. The session, attended by Abdoulaye Diop, President of the UEMOA Commission, revealed a 2.14-point decline in Senegal’s performance compared to 2024.

Against the backdrop of this eleventh edition, which evaluates 145 reforms, the Senegalese Minister of Finance and Budget and the Commission President validated the findings of the technical phase conducted in November 2025. While the country maintains an overall provisional implementation rate of 76.45%—down from 78.59% in 2024—the decline stems from underperformance in economic governance, convergence, and structural reforms, particularly a 6.3-point drop in the latter category.

Identified gaps require urgent action

Critically, Senegal failed to submit its 2024 report on the single window for financial statement deposits, highlighting administrative shortcomings. Key sectors needing immediate attention include culture, tourism, crafts, quality standards, and the business climate.

The Minister of Finance and Budget, Cheikh Diba, confirmed that the review’s outcomes will be presented to the Prime Minister during an upcoming meeting with the UEMOA Commission President.

Sectors showing positive momentum

Not all developments were negative. Agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and the environment saw a 12-point improvement, while human and social development rose by 6.5 points. Energy sector progress (+3 points) and modernization of legal, accounting, and statistical frameworks (+5.5 points) further underscore sectoral dynamism.

Abdoulaye Diop emphasized that this review, established under the 2013 Additional Act of the UEMOA Heads of State Conference, aims to assess collective progress toward treaty objectives, pinpoint gaps, and propose actionable recommendations. Since 2014, ten reviews have been conducted in Senegal, with generally satisfactory outcomes. This year marks the second session under the biennial political framework introduced in July 2023.

The Senegalese authorities have pledged to expedite compliance with community standards, ensuring swift implementation of corrective measures ahead of the next review. The political phase’s conclusions will be formally presented to the Prime Minister, signaling a strong commitment to administrative reforms across all relevant sectors.