Emmanuel Macron expressed Friday to the Senegalese president-elect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, his "desire to continue and intensify the partnership between Senegal and France", during their first telephone interview since Sunday's election won by the anti-system candidate.
The French president “reiterated his warm congratulations”, published Monday evening on social networks upon the announcement of the victory of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and “welcomed the smooth running of these elections and the sovereign choice of the Senegalese people” , reported the Élysée.
“The two presidents finally discussed the main areas of our bilateral cooperation and the regional situation,” we added on the French side.
“The safe and reliable ally”
Winner in the first round, the next Senegalese head of state, aged 44, will be inaugurated on Tuesday. Benefiting from an amnesty law, he came out of 11 months of imprisonment ten days before the election, at the same time as his guide and leader of their dissolved party Ousmane Sonko.
His main opponent, the government candidate Amadou Ba, immediately recognized his defeat.
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Bassirou Diomaye Faye assured Monday that his country would remain the “safe and reliable ally” of all “respectful” foreign partners, during his first public appearance since the announcement of his historic election.
A first statement considered encouraging by France, Senegal's former colonial power and its first political and economic partner.
Paris hopes to maintain solid relations with him, even though it has just suffered several setbacks in the region. France notably had to break off all military cooperation with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.