The Senegalese government announced it is abandoning French as an official language and is replacing it with Arabic.
The Senegalese government’s decision came after a Cabinet meeting held on Sunday and is considered a sign of the political transformation that Senegal is witnessing, after the young oppositionist, Bassirou Faye, won the presidential elections a few weeks ago.
The president-elect said in a televised speech on 26 March 26: “I would like to say to the international community and to our bilateral and multilateral partners that Senegal will always honour its commitments. It will remain a friendly country and a secure and reliable ally for any partner that engages with us in virtuous, respectful and mutually productive cooperation.”
Faye stressed that by electing him, the Senegalese people made the choice to break away from the existing regime in the country but noted that he intends to work to bring about changes within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
On the internal level, Faye emphasised that the priority projects during his term will be “national reconciliation and rebuilding institutions,” in addition to “a significant reduction in the cost of living.”
“I am committed to governing with humility and transparency and to fighting corruption on all levels,” he added.
Senegal enjoys stability, unlike its neighbours, and is considered one of the pillars of ECOWAS, which has been rocked since 2020 by military coups in many of its member states.
The results of the presidential elections, which took place in Senegal at the end of last month, confirmed the deep roots of the aspirations of the people in Senegal to break free from the patterns of governance systems that were associated with Western colonialism, or those that entered into relations with colonial countries.
Source: Middle East Monitor
