Why did Macron meet with former Senegalese President Macky Sall?

This week, the French President welcomed former Senegalese President Macky Sall in Paris for a meeting that is part of a diplomatic campaign by the latter to support his candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations, succeeding the current Secretary-General whose term ends at the end of this year. The former president is intensifying his diplomatic contacts with major capitals and a number of leaders and strategic partners to strengthen his position on the international stage.

Following the reception, Macky Sall expressed his satisfaction with the level of the talks. In a statement, he said: “I warmly thank President Emmanuel Macron for his gracious welcome and for our productive discussions at the Élysée. We share a vision of a ambitious and renewed United Nations to enhance its effectiveness, representativeness, and ability to respond to the aspirations of peoples and states.”

The former Senegalese president emphasized the “convergence of views” between himself and Macron regarding the future of the UN organization, and that his advocacy focuses on the need for a “deep reform” of the United Nations to reflect the “current geopolitical reality” and make it more capable of responding to international crises.

No statement was issued from the Élysée Palace containing an official French position supporting the candidacy; what was published was limited to Macky Sall’s own statement.

Candidacy Context

Macky Sall led Senegal between 2012 and 2024, before being succeeded by current President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. In April, Sall delivered a speech before the UN General Assembly to present his priorities and vision for the organization, as part of the process for selecting the next Secretary-General.

Burundi had officially informed the UN on March 2 of Sall’s nomination, thereby fulfilling the requirement for nominations to be submitted through a member state. The notification was made in the name of the Burundian president as the then-chairperson of the African Union, according to Arab media reports.

The Paradox of Senegalese Neutrality

In contrast to the diplomatic activity led by the former president, the government in Dakar maintains a position of neutrality regarding the candidacy. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, according to Senegalese media, stated that he was not directly informed of his predecessor’s candidacy but learned about it from other African leaders before learning that Burundi had officially submitted the nomination.

Faye indicated that the matter was not subject to any discussion within Senegal, expressing regret over the absence of any consultative continental process for a candidacy of this magnitude, and affirming that Senegal “cannot be considered a party” to the initiative. He concluded by defining his country’s position, according to the same sources: “Regarding this candidacy, Senegal adopts a position of neutrality.”

Thus, the meeting highlights a striking political paradox: a former Senegalese president is pursuing a high-level international race based on his own initiatives and contacts with major capitals such as Paris, while the state he once governed distances itself from providing any official support for his efforts.