End of suspense. After several announcements followed by speculation, the candidate designated by Macky Sall, outgoing President of the Republic, is known: Amadou Ba. Current Prime Minister since September 2022, the man will have the difficult task of leading the Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) presidential coalition to victory, on the evening of the presidential election in February 2024. This Saturday, September 9, 2023 will have been the right date. Ending nine weeks of suspense that began on Monday July 10, 2023, during the meeting of the Extended Conference of BBY Leaders, held a few days after the announcement of Macky Sall’s non-candidacy, on Tuesday July 4, 2023.
Failing to run for a third term, Macky Sall was given the choice of appointing his successor and candidate for the presidential majority in the 2024 elections. “A complex and difficult task, as you can imagine. Because every choice induces a classification somewhere. And as I was committed to it, I carried out fairly broad consultations and consultations, to be able to offer us a candidate,” declared the Head of State in his speech delivered at the presidential palace, where members were invited of the BBY coalition for the long-awaited announcement.
“In the process thus opened, I mobilized resource people, including President Moustapha Niasse, who met, on my behalf, the vast majority of candidates, in order to create the conditions to facilitate the choice,” underlined Macky Sall . Thus, of the 12 candidates for candidacy, Moustapha Niasse, dean of the political class, ally and leader of the Alliance of Forces for Progress (Afp), former president of the National Assembly (2012-2022), become high representative of the President of the Republic, had the mission of interviewing the different profiles.
Apart from the current Prime Minister, Amadou Ba, other contenders for the position also included the Minister of Agriculture, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye, the Director General of the Sovereign Fund for Strategic Investments (Fonsis) and former Minister of Health, Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, the former Minister of the Interior who became president of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (Cese), Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo, and even the former Prime Minister Mahammed Dionne. Barely hours after the declaration of the choice of Amadou Ba, Aly Ngouille Ndiaye, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Equipment, announced his resignation from the government and the Alliance for the Republic (APR), presidential party, through the press.
At the same time, the members of the presidential coalition welcome the choice made on the head of government, the main criteria of which were listed by Macky Sall in his speech. “After listening to everyone, taking into consideration all the suggestions, we highlighted the fundamental issues of the day: the preservation of the Republic and democracy, the safeguarding of peace and stability, for the pursuit of public policies, around the base that constitutes the Emerging Senegal Plan”, specified the President of the Republic. “Where do we want to take Senegal? And with what coalition for the future and what vision of Senegal in Africa and in the world? » asked the head of the APR again.
“The selection criteria targeted professional skills, a diversified career, decisive and transversal functions in the State. Our decision was also motivated by the qualities of humility, of listening to lead, to bring together in Benno and beyond Benno, here and in the diaspora,” concluded Macky Sall.
Since President Macky Sall’s announcement of his choice for coalition candidate Benno Bokk Yakaar in the 2024 presidential election, the attention of the political class has crystallized around Amadou Ba. Building on his remarkable career, Amadou Ba rose through the ranks within government, building a reputation as a competent manager and knowledgeable diplomat. A prominent political figure for years, the man has proven himself in several key government positions under the reign of Macky Sall.
Born in 1961, Amadou Ba first got his start as a tax inspector where he helped reform the Senegalese tax system, thereby increasing state revenues and financing various development projects. He became director of taxes, then minister of Finance and Budget, where his time was marked by rigorous management of public finances, thus reducing the national debt and strengthening the economic stability of the country. Before the Paris consultative group, in February 2014, Amadou Ba presented and defended the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), “new reference framework for the policies of “Macky Sall governance” aimed at leading Senegal on the path to emergence by 2035”.
These successes laid the foundation for his recognition as an expert on economic policy. His appointment as head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was applauded by the international community. His diplomatic skills have led him to establish strong relationships with many countries, thus strengthening Senegal’s position on the international stage. His foreign policy experience could therefore prove a valuable asset to the country in the years to come, as global issues continue to evolve.
The appointment of Amadou Ba comes especially at a critical time for Senegal, marked by growing security challenges. Since 2021, the country has been shaken by political-judicial unrest that has polarized society. Demonstrations, corruption cases and clashes between demonstrators and the police have shaken Senegal. Amadou Ba’s ability to ease these tensions and promote political dialogue will be a determining factor in his electoral campaign.
Outside its borders, terrorist threats are rife in neighboring countries and Senegal is not immune to these concerns. The question of national security therefore becomes a central issue in this presidential election, and here again, Amadou Ba’s ability to guarantee the stability and security of the country will be closely scrutinized.
Beyond his undeniable achievements and skills, the appointment of Amadou Ba raises questions about Macky Sall’s political strategy. By choosing a technocrat as candidate, the outgoing president seems to be banking on continuity and economic and social stability. A signal that the current government wishes to continue its economic and fiscal policies, focused on development and growth. Amadou Ba’s candidacy for the 2024 presidential election then promises to fuel the political debate in Senegal. Voters will have to decide whether his experience and reputation as a competent manager outweighs calls for change.
Regarding the chances of the Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition, in the last legislative elections it obtained 47% of the votes, without the participation of President Macky Sall. This result demonstrates the solidity of the coalition, a real “winning machine” since 2012. However, the presidential elections are a different challenge. The outgoing president has set the goal of winning the election in the first round, which will require massive mobilization of his supporters and a solid political strategy.
Additionally, the fact that Amadou Ba is considered a highly networked technocrat could prove beneficial for the Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition. Its ability to mobilize political and economic support could strengthen the cohesion of the coalition and broaden its electoral base. On the other hand, even if he seems to embody the continuity of Macky Sall’s economic policy, the Prime Minister will also have to wear the clothes of a reunifier, as his party leader invites him with these words: “Mr. Amadou Ba could be a unifying leader within his party, the coalition and beyond. He is also familiar with the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE) to ensure the continuation of economic, social and environmental policies. »
By also calling on all other members of the coalition to “support this candidacy which is Benno’s one and only candidacy”, President Macky Sall also intends to invest personally alongside Amadou Ba. While a ministerial reshuffle has been announced, the question is whether or not Amadou Ba will keep his position as head of government, combining it with that of presidential majority candidate in the February 2024 election?
In the meantime, the latter, in a post published on his Facebook page, thanked the Head of State and declared that he was committed in the latter’s wake “to continuing the implementation of his vision set out in the Emerging Senegal Plan “. Before in turn inviting his comrades and all Senegalese “to unite for the continuation and acceleration of [the] country’s march towards emergence”. Perhaps he will follow in the footsteps of Macky Sall and, long before him, Abdou Diouf, who went from the prime minister to the presidency. Only six months left to answer them.