In response to growing concerns about Senegal's public debt, the International Budget Partnership (IBP) organized a high-level panel in Dakar on Thursday, February 5, 2026, dedicated to "cross-disciplinary discussions on proposals for resolving the debt crisis." The meeting brought together public finance experts, government representatives, practitioners, parliamentarians, and civil society actors in an inclusive approach aimed at collaboratively developing sustainable solutions to a situation deemed worrying.

The workshop aimed to compare different analyses on debt management, establish a framework for dialogue between stakeholders, examine solutions already identified and their conditions for success, while laying the groundwork for a concerted monitoring mechanism to support the implementation of future recommendations.

A debate on national sovereignty

According to the IBP, the issue of debt has resurfaced sharply in public debate since September 2024, when authorities revealed the existence of undeclared debt. The organizers remind us that this situation affects all citizens, as the debt is ultimately borne by the community. Therefore, the organization believes it is necessary to create a forum for discussion focused not on how to reduce the debt, but on credible solutions to the crisis.

Speaking on behalf of the regional director of IBP, Marième Gnagna Thiam, PhD in Public Finance and head of the public finance program at IBP-Senegal, emphasized that the issue of debt goes beyond the simple framework of macroeconomic indicators. According to her, it affects the country's budgetary sovereignty, its investment capacity, and the achievement of development objectives.

From hidden debt to the critical ratio of 119%

Recalling the context, she indicated that after the revelation of the hidden debt in 2024, the Court of Auditors had assessed, in February 2025, the level of public debt at 99.7% of GDP. External analyses subsequently raised this ratio to nearly 119%, leading to a downgrade of Senegal's sovereign rating and a reduction in its financing options.

Faced with this situation, the government has launched an economic and social recovery plan, focusing in particular on tax reform and resource mobilization efforts on the regional financial market. For the IBP, the challenge is not to succumb to alarmist rhetoric, but to promote strategic, multifaceted, and action-oriented thinking. The organization emphasizes the need to bring together all perspectives—economists, tax specialists, civil society, the private sector, and technical partners—in order to identify solutions that are realistic, innovative, and socially just.

The pivotal role of the National Assembly

For his part, Mohamadou Souaré, Vice-President of the National Assembly's Budget Control Committee, stated that the debt issue is currently a central challenge for Senegal. He emphasized that the findings of the Court of Auditors' report on public finance management between 2019 and 2024 necessitate concrete and responsible responses. According to him, the challenge lies in restoring debt sustainability while preserving the country's ambitions for economic sovereignty and its structural investments.

He also emphasized the role of Parliament in budgetary oversight, transparency, and citizen support for upcoming reforms. He assured that the discussions stemming from this workshop would inform parliamentary deliberations and the economic decisions expected in a challenging context. Through this initiative, the IBP aims to strengthen citizen participation in budgetary debates and contribute to more transparent public finance governance. The recommendations resulting from the workshop should ultimately serve as the basis for ongoing dialogue between the State, oversight institutions, and civil society to guide Senegal toward a more sustainable debt trajectory.