Macky Sall
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| Macky Sall | |
|---|---|
| Name | Macky Sall |
| Caption | Sall in 2014 |
| Office | 4th President of Senegal |
| Term start | 2 April 2012 |
| Term end | 2 April 2024 |
| Predecessor | Abdoulaye Wade |
| Successor | Bassirou Diomaye Faye |
| Office1 | Prime Minister of Senegal |
| Term start1 | 21 July 2004 |
| Term end1 | 19 June 2007 |
| Predecessor1 | Idrissa Seck |
| Successor1 | Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré |
| Office2 | President of the National Assembly |
| Term start2 | 20 June 2007 |
| Term end2 | 9 November 2008 |
| Predecessor2 | Pape Diop |
| Successor2 | Mamadou Seck |
| Birth date | 11 December 1961 |
| Birth place | Fatick, Senegal |
| Party | Alliance for the Republic (2008–present) |
| Otherparty | Senegalese Democratic Party (before 2008) |
| Spouse | Marième Faye Sall |
| Alma mater | Cheikh Anta Diop University, Institut Français du Pétrole |
| Profession | Geological engineer |
Macky Sall is a Senegalese politician and geological engineer who served as the fourth President of Senegal from 2012 to 2024. A former member of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), he later founded his own political movement, the Alliance for the Republic (APR), after a split with his former mentor, President Abdoulaye Wade. His presidency was marked by significant infrastructure projects, constitutional reforms, and a prominent role in regional diplomacy within West Africa and the African Union.
Early Life and Education
Macky Sall was born on 11 December 1961 in Fatick, a town in the central Sine-Saloum region. He pursued higher education in the capital, graduating from the Cheikh Anta Diop University with a degree in geological engineering. He furthered his specialization by earning a diploma from the prestigious Institut Français du Pétrole in Paris, which laid the groundwork for his early career in the national petroleum sector. His technical background in geology and hydrocarbons would later inform his policy approaches to managing Senegal's natural resources.
Political Career
Sall's political ascent began within the Senegalese Democratic Party under the patronage of Abdoulaye Wade. He served as the Special Advisor for Energy and Mines before being appointed Minister of Mines, Energy, and Hydraulics in 2001. His rise continued when Wade appointed him as the Prime Minister of Senegal in 2004, succeeding Idrissa Seck. In 2007, Sall was elected as the President of the National Assembly, a position from which he was abruptly dismissed in 2008 after initiating an inquiry into the finances of Karim Wade, the president's son, leading to a definitive rupture with the PDS.
Presidency
Macky Sall was elected President in the 2012 Senegalese presidential election, defeating incumbent Abdoulaye Wade in a runoff. He was re-elected for a second term in the 2019 Senegalese presidential election, winning in the first round. His tenure saw the implementation of the Plan Sénégal Émergent, a major national development strategy. In a significant move, he honored a 2016 campaign promise by organizing a constitutional referendum that reduced presidential terms from seven to five years, a change he applied to his own second term. His decision to postpone the 2024 Senegalese presidential election sparked a major political and constitutional crisis before the election was finally held, leading to the victory of opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Policies and Initiatives
Sall's administration launched several large-scale infrastructure projects, most notably the Train Express Régional in Dakar and the construction of the Blaise Diagne International Airport. In the energy sector, he oversaw the development of major offshore oil and gas fields in partnership with companies like BP and Kosmos Energy. His government also initiated the Programme d'Urgence de Développement Communautaire to improve rural infrastructure. A notable anti-corruption drive led to the conviction of former minister Karim Wade and the mayor of Dakar, Khalifa Sall, though these prosecutions were criticized by some opposition figures as politically motivated.
International Relations
On the international stage, Macky Sall played an active role in regional organizations, serving as Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2015–2016 and as Chairperson of the African Union in 2022. He was involved in mediating political crises in neighboring countries, including The Gambia during the 2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis and in Guinea-Bissau. He maintained strong ties with traditional partners like France and the United States, while also fostering new economic relationships with emerging powers such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. His tenure coincided with a period of significant Chinese investment in Senegalese infrastructure.
Personal Life
Macky Sall is married to Marième Faye Sall, who served as the First Lady of Senegal and was active in social and humanitarian causes through her foundation. The couple has three children. A practicing Muslim, Sall is a member of the Tijaniyyah Sufi order, which has a broad following in Senegal. His younger brother, Aliou Sall, has been a figure of some controversy due to his reported involvement in the nation's oil and gas sector during Sall's presidency.
Category:Presidents of Senegal Category:1961 births Category:Living people