Faced with questions raised by the economic crisis and the absence of a program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Minister of State to the President of the Republic, Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, explained the relevance and coherence of the Economic and Social Recovery Plan (PRES) in the implementation of the National Transformation Agenda.

Invited to the program "Point de vue" on RTS, he reviewed the year 2025, emphasizing its importance in the implementation of the national agenda, particularly regarding infrastructure, opening up isolated areas, and regional development. This period, he stated, marked the effective start of the economic recovery, initiated in a challenging but deliberate context. "The year 2026 will allow us to concretely measure the results, thanks to the implementation of the PRES (Economic and Social Renewal Program)," he affirmed.

When questioned about the forced nature of this recovery, dictated by an unfavorable economic environment, Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo replied: "We cannot oppose the PRES and the agenda. They are by no means two competing instruments, but rather complementary mechanisms," he insisted, describing the recovery plan as the "first stage" of the national agenda.

The minister reiterated that the PRES (Pôle de Recherche et d'Évaluation des Solidaires – Research and Higher Education Program) aligns with several strategic objectives of the Senegal 2050 Agenda, including the sustainability of the macroeconomic framework, the mobilization of domestic resources, innovation, improving the business climate, and the involvement of the diaspora. "The core of the plan aims to restore macroeconomic stability, a prerequisite for sustainably reviving development," he explained.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, marked by a debt level estimated at around 120% of GDP, Mr. Lo stressed the need to go beyond simply acknowledging the problem. "We are not here just to complain about what we have been left with. The government's aim is to demonstrate, both to the Senegalese people and to technical and financial partners, the country's capacity to recover through its own efforts," he stated.

According to him, the PRES (Economic and Social Renewal Program) plans to mobilize nearly 6 trillion CFA francs over the period 2025-2028, an "equivalent of an annual budget." These resources, he said, must come largely from internal efforts, through broadening the tax base, identifying tax loopholes, and strengthening tax compliance. "The measures under consideration will have no impact on ordinary citizens," he reassured.

Addressing the issue of the lack of a program with the IMF, he acknowledged a "reduction in budgetary margins and the suspension of certain external financing," but believes that "this situation can be transformed into an opportunity." "A threat can become an opportunity," he stated, calling on Senegalese people to rise to the challenge of economic sovereignty. "True sovereignty lies in the ability to finance one's own development," he declared.

Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo also pointed out that debt remains a normal tool for budgetary management. "All states resort to it."

For him, Senegal's membership in a monetary union also offers guarantees of stability. "But for now, the priority remains clear: to successfully implement the PRES (Pôle de Réalisation et de Sécurité), restore macroeconomic balances, and demonstrate that Senegal can rely first and foremost on itself to build sustainable and sovereign development," he concludes.