The 11th annual review of community reforms within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) concluded yesterday in Dakar after a one-day postponement. The political phase of this assessment brought together key stakeholders, including Abdoulaye Diop, President of the UEMOA Commission, to evaluate progress and set corrective measures.
The latest findings reveal a 2.14-point decline in Senegal’s performance compared to 2024, despite an overall satisfactory score across 145 evaluated reforms. While the provisional implementation rate stands at 76.45%, down from 78.59% last year, the government is under pressure to accelerate reforms in critical areas.
Key areas needing urgent attention
Minister of Finance and Budget Cheikh Diba highlighted several sectors requiring immediate action. Governance and economic convergence saw a notable regression of 6.3 points, with the non-submission of the 2024 report by the single window for financial statements standing out as a major shortfall. Additionally, culture, tourism, crafts, quality standards, and the business climate emerged as the most vulnerable domains needing structural improvements.
Progress in select sectors
Not all areas faced setbacks—some sectors demonstrated resilience and growth. Agriculture, livestock, fishing, and environmental initiatives surged by 12 points, while human and social development advanced by 6.5 points. The energy sector improved by 3 points, and modernization of legal, accounting, and statistical frameworks saw a 5.5-point rise, reflecting targeted progress in specific areas.
Institutional commitment to reform
Abdoulaye Diop emphasized that this annual review, established under the Additional Act of October 24, 2013, is designed to assess collective efforts toward UEMOA’s treaty objectives, identify gaps, and propose actionable recommendations. Since 2014, Senegal has undergone ten such reviews, consistently achieving satisfactory results.
The findings from this year’s political phase will be presented to the Prime Minister in a special audience, signaling a renewed commitment to compliance with regional norms. This move underscores the government’s determination to align national policies with UEMOA standards before the next review cycle.