Sawt Falasteen - Ex-president Sall back in Senegal for talks with successor

The trip marked the first time that Sall, who led the nation between 2012 and 2024, has returned to the west African country since leaving office in April 2024.

More than 1,000 supporters turned out in the heat to welcome him mid-afternoon at a military airport in Dakar, where he greeted the crowd from atop a vehicle.

Sall stands accused by the current government of violent political repression that led to dozens of deaths during his last years in office, and of covering up unfavourable economic data.

The meeting granted by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sparked controversy within Faye's own camp, which has been divided since he dismissed prime minister Ousmane Sonko, once a staunch ally.

The Senegalese presidency did not respond to a request for comment from AFP regarding the meeting.

Sall had said he would leave Dakar "immediately" after his meeting with Faye.

Burundi, which holds the rotating African Union presidency, nominated Sall earlier this year for the UN secretary-general position.

One of Faye's political advisors, Alioune Ibnou Abitalib Sow, announced his resignation on Friday in protest at Sall's visit.

"He is responsible for a large part of the troubles the country is facing today," Sow posted on X.

Sall, who has lived in Morocco since leaving Senegal, had announced Tuesday that he would travel to Dakar for the visit to see Faye.

A "collective denouncing the crackdown under Sall described his visit as an "incident" and demanded answers regarding the deaths that took place during his tenure.

G.AbuOdeh--SF-PST