Sénégal: thierno alassane sall challenges pastef on asee power contract transparency

The contentious matter involving the Senegalese Agency for Rural Electrification (ASER) and the Spanish firm AEE Power has re-emerged at the forefront of political discussions in Dakar. Thierno Alassane Sall, who leads La République des Valeurs party and serves as a deputy in the National Assembly, has publicly accused the ruling Pastef party of employing a double standard regarding this rural electrification agreement. This contract has become a symbol of the friction between the Senegalese executive and segments of the political establishment. The former Energy Minister explicitly uses the term “duplicity,” a word rarely heard within the local parliamentary discourse.

A rural electrification contract becomes a state affair

The agreement between ASER and AEE Power is designed to implement an extensive program aimed at electrifying numerous Senegalese villages, connecting thousands of communities to the national grid. For several months, significant public controversy has surrounded the precise execution of the project, the funds disbursed, and the actual deliveries made. This dispute escalated into a political issue when key figures from Pastef, prior to their ascent to power, had presented this very contract as a prime example of poor governance under the previous administration.

Now in positions of authority, these same individuals find themselves tasked with managing the contractual legacy and upholding the Senegalese state’s commitments to its Spanish partner. It is this fundamental shift that Thierno Alassane Sall aims to highlight. He contends that the current stance adopted by the ruling majority directly contradicts the positions they articulated during the election campaign and in the initial weeks following the change in government.

Thierno Alassane Sall’s critique of Pastef

A prominent figure known for his firm stance on energy issues, the former minister asserts that the party, led by Ousmane Sonko and supported by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, can no longer hide behind its former opposition posture. He points to a clear inconsistency between their pledges for systematic audits of contracts deemed opaque and the cautious approach they have taken concerning AEE Power. The deputy suggests that this inconsistent handling of inherited dossiers risks undermining the credibility of the