Senegal families of victims oppose Macky Sall’s un bid

Sénégal’s martyrs’ families denounce Macky Sall’s UN leadership bid

Macky Sall’s candidacy for United Nations secretary-general has ignited fierce debate in Sénégal. Days after the former president officially declared his intention to run for the top UN post, he returned to Dakar for a meeting with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The visit has drawn sharp criticism from collectives representing the families of victims killed during political unrest under his administration.

Sall, nominated by Burundi—which currently holds the rotating African Union presidency—argues his international experience, including his 2022–2023 term as AU chair, positions him to elevate Africa’s voice in global institutions. Yet critics in Sénégal argue his legacy includes the violent suppression of opposition protests between 2021 and 2024, which rights groups say left dozens dead.

Families of victims condemn Sall’s UN ambition

Mouhamed Fadel Bodian, a member of the martyrs’ families collective, called the meeting between Sall and President Faye a troubling signal.

« We are deeply concerned by the audience granted to Macky Sall regarding his candidacy for UN secretary-general. We believe he is not a suitable candidate for Sénégal to endorse, » Bodian stated.

Boubacar Sèye, head of the Martyrs’ Families Association, echoed the sentiment, framing Sall’s return as a painful reminder of a dark chapter in Sénégal’s recent history.

« For us, this is not just about politics—it’s about the memory of those who lost their lives in political protests during his time in office, » he said.

Opposition within Sénégal also comes from Guy Marius Sagna, a lawmaker from the ruling party Pastef, who condemned the visit as an affront to victims and their sacrifices.

« This visit is a third assassination, a third act of torture, a third imprisonment for every victim from 2021 to 2024, » Sagna argued, emphasizing their role in defending Sénégalaise democracy.

UN race intensifies as Sall vies for top post

The controversy surrounding Sall’s candidacy unfolds amid a wider international competition to succeed António Guterres, whose term ends in December 2026. Two other official candidates have emerged: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa Rica’s former vice president, Rebeca Grynspan, has also been floated as a potential nominee, though her formal submission is pending.

Global momentum is building for a historic milestone: the election of the first female UN secretary-general. The UN Security Council is set to begin formal candidate reviews before the end of July, with its recommendation forwarded to the General Assembly, the body responsible for electing the secretary-general for a five-year, renewable term.

For Sall, the stakes extend beyond diplomacy. His UN bid now hinges on a fraught balance between international ambition and the unresolved wounds of his presidency in Sénégal.