Senegal President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has appointed economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, a former head of the Senegal branch of the BCEAO regional central bank, as prime minister, according to a statement read on national broadcaster RTS on Monday.
The appointment comes after Faye dismissed Ousmane Sonko as prime minister on Friday following months of mounting tensions between the two leaders. In March, Sonko had warned he could take the party PASTEF into opposition if the president strayed from the party’s agenda, a threat that now looms over the government’s ability to pass reforms needed to unlock support from the International Monetary Fund.
The appointment of Lo, a technocrat with central banking experience, signals a potential shift toward economic expertise in managing the country’s financial challenges. His appointment is seen as an attempt to reassure international partners and financial institutions of Senegal’s commitment to economic stability.
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President Faye and Sonko had been allies in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, with Sonko endorsing Faye after being barred from running himself. However, relations between the two have deteriorated as Faye pursued his own policy direction. Sonko remains a popular figure with significant political influence, and his threat to lead PASTEF into opposition could destabilise Faye’s parliamentary majority.
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