The potential candidacy of Macky Sall for the position of United Nations Secretary-General is sparking intense debate across Senegal. Days after the former president officially declared his intention to run for the top UN post, he returned to Dakar for a meeting with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This visit has ignited fierce criticism from collectives representing families of victims of political violence that occurred during his administration.
Backed by Burundi, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, Sall is positioning himself as a candidate with extensive international experience, including his tenure as AU chair from February 2022 to February 2023. His team argues that his leadership would amplify Africa’s voice in global institutions.
However, in Senegal, this bid has collided head-on with accusations from the current administration and victim advocacy groups. The post-2024 political transition authorities allege that the former government used excessive force to suppress opposition protests between 2021 and 2024, resulting in dozens of deaths according to human rights monitors.
Mouhamed Fadel Bodian, a spokesperson for the martyrs’ families collective, expressed deep concern over the meeting between Sall and President Faye.
« We are troubled by the audience granted to Macky Sall regarding his UN candidacy. We firmly believe he is not a suitable candidate for Senegal to endorse, » Bodian stated.
Boubacar Sèye, head of the Martyrs’ Families Association, underscored the human toll of Sall’s presidency.
« His return evokes painful memories of one of the darkest chapters in our recent history. Dozens of lives were lost during political demonstrations, » Sèye said.
The backlash has also been amplified by Guy Marius Sagna, a lawmaker from the ruling Pastef party, who condemned Sall’s visit in harsh terms.
« This visit feels like a fresh wound—another killing, another act of torture, another unjust imprisonment for the victims of 2021 to 2024, » Sagna declared. « Their sacrifices were made to uphold Senegal’s democracy. »
Beyond Senegal’s borders, Sall’s candidacy enters a crowded 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, current 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 to the UN.
Several member states are pushing for another historic milestone: the election of the first female UN Secretary-General. The UN Security Council is expected to begin formal candidate reviews before the end of July, with its recommendation forwarded to the General Assembly, the body responsible for electing the secretary-general for a five-year, renewable term.
For Macky Sall, the stakes extend beyond diplomacy. His UN bid is also a test of national memory and reconciliation in Senegal.