Senegal’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, revealed his government lineup consisting of 25 ministers and 5 junior ministers on Friday. President Bassirou Diomaye gave his approval to the cabinet list.
The performance of the council of ministers will be closely monitored both domestically and internationally. Diomaye has pledged bold reforms, including discontinuing the use of the West African currency, the CFA Franc, and conducting an audit of Senegal’s oil and gas contracts with foreign firms.
Cheikh Diba, a seasoned bureaucrat who previously led budget programming, has been appointed as the finance minister. Birame Souleye Diop, formerly the vice president of Sonko and Faye’s now dissolved Pastef party, will oversee the oil and energy sector.
Yassine Fall, the vice president of Pastef, has been named as the minister of foreign affairs.
Diomaye selected Ousmane Sonko, his mentor and close ally, as prime minister shortly after assuming office as Senegal’s fifth head of state on Tuesday.
Nominated as a candidate while incarcerated, Diomaye capitalized on public discontent against President Macky Sall to secure a resounding victory in the first round of elections with Sonko’s endorsement.
