Senegal-IMF agreement: Thierno Bocoum demands full disclosure on financial commitments

The recent technical agreement reached between Senegal and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sparked intense political debate. Thierno Bocoum, who leads the AGIR-Les Leaders movement, is calling on the government to clarify how the national debt will be managed and what conditions are attached to this new financial program.

To ensure public accountability, the former lawmaker is urging the immediate release of the memorandum on economic and financial policies. Alternatively, he insists the document should be submitted directly to the National Assembly, allowing representatives to thoroughly debate the commitments made on behalf of the Senegalese people.

However, Thierno Bocoum’s criticism extends beyond the current administration. He has also pointed fingers at Ousmane Sonko and Abdourahmane Sarr, identifying them as key players in the events that triggered Senegal’s ongoing debt and IMF-related struggles.

Regarding Ousmane Sonko, the opposition figure points out that Sonko’s tenure as Prime Minister, spanning from April 2, 2024, to May 22, 2026, places him at the center of the IMF negotiations. Thierno Bocoum faults him for his involvement in the discussions that eventually led to the freezing of the previous economic program.

Furthermore, Bocoum highlighted Sonko’s September 2024 public statements concerning alleged discrepancies in national debt data. According to Bocoum, this communication damaged the country’s financial credibility, directly resulting in the suspension of IMF support and forcing Senegal to secure loans on the regional market at interest rates far higher than standard concessional financing.

Abdourahmane Sarr faces scrutiny

In addition to Sonko, Thierno Bocoum questioned the shifting positions of Abdourahmane Sarr, the former Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation. He pointed out clear contradictions in Sarr’s public statements regarding the sustainability of Senegal’s national debt.

The AGIR-Les Leaders president recalled that the former minister previously defended the viability of the country’s debt and its reduction path. Yet, more recently, Sarr acknowledged that the authorities were seeking debt treatment measures to restore that very same sustainability.

Ultimately, Thierno Bocoum maintains that all officials involved in managing these financial negotiations must take responsibility for the current economic difficulties. This call for transparency comes directly after Senegal successfully concluded a technical agreement with the IMF to launch a new economic and financial framework.