Senegal families of victims reject Macky Sall’s un bid

The announcement of Macky Sall’s candidacy for the position of United Nations Secretary-General has sparked sharp divisions in Senegal. Days after Burundi officially endorsed his bid—given its current African Union presidency—the former president returned to Dakar to meet with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This move has ignited outrage among collectives representing families of victims of political violence during his administration.

Macky Sall’s campaign highlights his international credentials, including his tenure as Chair of the African Union from February 2022 to February 2023. His supporters argue that his leadership would amplify Africa’s voice in global institutions.

Yet in Senegal, his ambitions face fierce criticism from the current government and victims’ rights groups. The administration that came to power in 2024 has accused the previous regime of brutal crackdowns on opposition protests between 2021 and 2024, a period marked by dozens of deaths, according to local rights organizations.

Mouhamed Fadel Bodian, a member of a collective representing victims’ families, expressed deep concern over the meeting between Macky Sall and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

« We are deeply troubled that the President of the Republic granted an audience to Macky Sall regarding his UN candidacy. We believe he is not a suitable candidate to receive Senegal’s backing, » Bodian stated.

Boubacar Sèye, head of the Association of Martyrs’ Families, emphasized the human cost tied to Sall’s presidency.

« For us, this is the return of a leader whose time in office is still associated with one of the most painful chapters in our recent history. Dozens of lives were lost during political demonstrations, » he said.

The criticism extends to Guy Marius Sagna, a deputy from the ruling Pastef party, who condemned the former president’s visit.

« This visit is a third assassination, a third act of torture, a third imprisonment for every victim from 2021 to 2024, » Sagna declared. He argued that these victims « sacrificed their lives » to defend Senegalese democracy.

Beyond the national debate, Macky Sall’s bid is part of a broader international race to replace António Guterres, whose term concludes in December 2026. Two other candidates have formally entered the race: former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa Rica has also proposed former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, though her official nomination has not yet been submitted.

Several nations are pushing for a historic milestone: the election of the first female UN Secretary-General. The UN Security Council is expected to begin formal review of candidates before the end of July, with a recommendation to be sent to the General Assembly, the body responsible for electing the Secretary-General for a five-year term, renewable once.

For Macky Sall, this bid is more than a diplomatic challenge—it is also a test of national memory and reconciliation in Senegal.