The Foreign Policy of Senegal Since 2000

This research paper analyzes the foreign policy of Senegal from 2000 to 2013, highlighting a shift from traditional diplomacy to a technical, economy-driven approach under President Abdoulaye Wade. It details the concentration of diplomatic power in the presidency, the marginalization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the legislature, and the pursuit of South-South cooperation with emerging powers like China and Dubai. The paper concludes that the 2012 election of President Macky Sall marked a return to more classical diplomacy, prioritizing relations with France and neighboring states.

• Since 2000, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and career diplomats have lost their monopoly over external policy, with authority shifting toward technical ministries. This is evidenced by Decree No. 2000–296, which subjects the MFA's jurisdiction to international assignments involving other ministers, specifically the Minister of Economy and Finance and the Minister of African Integration.
• The Ministry of African Integration (MAI) operates as a distinct entity from the MFA, effectively serving as a ministry of African external relations and claiming a substantial share of foreign policy, particularly regarding sub-regional integration.
• Senegal has increasingly co-opted non-state players and technical bodies to drive economic diplomacy. An example is the Coastal and Tourism Zone Planning and Promotion Company of Senegal, which independently signed a $142 million agreement with a US-based sustainable tourism agency in 2011.
• The Senegalese presidency holds overwhelming constitutional and practical power over foreign policy. The president is tasked with protecting territorial integrity and national independence, determines national policy, and is the sole authority to negotiate international commitments and ratify treaties.
• The legislature has very limited influence over foreign policy, often bypassed through 'simplified' or 'executive' agreements that do not require parliamentary ratification. Furthermore, parliamentarians lack the authority to amend international texts submitted to them.
• The judiciary's role in foreign policy is peripheral. The Supreme Court of Senegal delivered only five decisions on international treaties between 1960 and 2013, and there is a noted lack of judicial application of international commitments, such as the 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, within domestic law.
• Under President Wade, Senegal shifted toward 'South–South dialogue' and alliances with emerging economic powers, including the BRICS nations, Iran, Morocco, and Dubai. A key project is the Diamniadio development scheme, a $1 billion industrial site involving Dubai Ports World and the US Millennium Challenge Corporation.
• Senegal experienced a revival of Pan-Africanism after 2000, moving from a gradualist approach to advocating for immediate African political unity and supporting the transition from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU).
• President Wade's tenure was marked by a highly personalized diplomatic style that sometimes bypassed institutional channels and caused diplomatic tension, such as his 2001 comments regarding Burkinabe citizens in Ivory Coast.
• Following the election of President Macky Sall in March 2012, Senegal returned to a more 'classical' foreign policy. This included restoring a prioritized relationship with France, emphasizing good governance to international institutions, and improving relations with neighbors Gambia and Mauritania.
• The document notes a transactional element in foreign policy, citing the 'billions of Taiwan' affair where Senegal allegedly requested $7 billion in financial support to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan, funds which were reportedly not recorded in the public treasury.

APA

Sall, A. (2013). The Foreign Policy of Senegal Since 2000. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-141.pdf

Chicago

Sall, Alioune. The Foreign Policy of Senegal Since 2000. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2013. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-141.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sall |first1=Alioune |title=The Foreign Policy of Senegal Since 2000 |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-141.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sall2013foreign, author = {Sall, Alioune}, title = {{The Foreign Policy of Senegal Since 2000}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-141.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }