Ousmane Sonko has continuously addressed the international community over several days. After the interview he granted to France 24 and Rfi recently, his mega meeting in Keur Massar, the leader of the Pastef party affirms that the Yewwi Askan wi coalition has decided not to leave the field to Macky Sall, who presents the opposition as opposed to Western interests. He even believes that these partners have begun to hear and understand the discourse of the Senegalese opposition. Even if, paradoxically, their embassies in Dakar are still closed to him.
Yesterday, Ousmane Sonko did most of his address in French. Because he was not addressing the Senegalese press or the opinion that tends to follow him, but « the international community ».
The leader of the Pastef party seems, since his interview on the French audiovisual media, to have taken a liking to taking as interlocutors the Westerners whom he used to present, in the recent past to his supporters, as the direct supporters of Macky Sall. However, yesterday, he indicated that the Yewwi askan wi coalition is not against any foreign power, and especially not France. Recalling that he asked this country some time ago to lift its elbow from the neck of Africans, he wished for an all-equitable collaboration in an open and globalised world. “No one can lock themselves in. It was never any question for Yewwi askan wi to be against anyone. It was a question of being much more, for ourselves as Senegalese, as Africans. In this open and globalised world, Senegal has its partners… there is a mutual importance that these partners agree with each other,” declared Ousmane Sonko to clarify his position and that of the Coalition Yewwiaskan wi on the perception of their relations with the international community.
This prominent member of the Yaw Leaders’ Conference said he has never had dealings with any foreign power since he entered politics. Ousmane Sonko also indicates that there is a lot of manipulation on the part of Macky Sall’s camp, to pass off, in the eyes of foreign partners, the Senegalese opposition as being irresponsible, fundamentally anti-Western and manipulated by Russia.
« I can say here that none of us have any contact with a foreign power. Personally, I am not in contact with any foreign power. He emphasised that these foreign countries must get rid of this “infantilising” vision that tends to trample on the capacities of Africans to think and develop on their own.
Ousmane Sonko Begs the International Community to Curb Macky Sall on a Third Term
According to him, Senegal is not the Ivory Coast. Returning to the partnership between Senegal and France, Sonkoindicates that they have no problem with France, but rather with the policy of the French state. “In the relations we have had with the rest of the world so far, Africa has been the big loser. And Africa needs to be reassured. It is time for the rest of the world to understand that it is now dealing with people who understand where their interests lie. Each time they turn a blind eye to abuses, constitutional manipulations so that the Presidents of the Republic are perpetuated, each time they turn a blind eye to these practices, they will fuel anti-French sentiment or anti-western sentiment. It is not in relation to the French, but it is in relation to the policy of the French State, » affirmed the leader of the Pastef party, who judges that the future of cooperation between Africa and the rest of the world must change, and on basis which do not zap the interests of the African peoples.
A Speech « Heard »… Except by the Embassies in Dakar
Welcoming also to find more and more an attentive ear on the side of foreign partners, Ousmane Sonko noted, as usual, the growing isolation of Macky Sall and his regime, not only inside the country. , but also internationally. “We are increasingly heard, but above all understood by these partners.” As proof of this, he cited the reports published by various international organisations and reporters, which « would call into question the management of public finances, the arbitrary imprisonment of journalists and artists, enforced disappearances, assassinations…”
However, the leader of Yaw did not seem to point out the contradiction in his remarks, when he welcomed the growing openness of Western partners to the discourse of the Senegalese opposition, while at the same time he deplores that the request for a meeting addressed by the Yaw Leaders Conference to the United States Embassy in Senegal has been dismissed. For Sonko, this reluctance of Western diplomats in Senegal would certainly be linked to « blackmail (on the part of Macky Sall) on oil and gas, no doubt ». He indicated that these meetings that they have requested are explained because it is a question of discussing with them the situation of the country. One wonders what Guy Marius Sagna and his movement, the full name of which must probably be forbidden to quote, must think of this new mutation of Sonko, the man.
By Ousmane SOW
- Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH / Serigne S. DIAGNE
