Updated September 29, 2022
Senegal
U.S.-Senegal ties have long been warm, underpinned by
Figure 1. Senegal at a Glance
U.S. development aid, appreciation for Senegalese
democracy, and security cooperation to confront regional
challenges. President Macky Sall, in office since 2012, has
continued Senegal’s close relations with donors and
advanced economic reforms, but he has struggled to create
jobs for Senegal’s youthful population. Despite Senegal’s
reputation as a stable democracy, unrest has erupted at
times over perceptions that President Sall has overseen
politically selective prosecutions of opposition figures and
allegations that he may seek to evade constitutional term
limits. Sall has not publicly committed to stepping down in
2024, when his current term expires.
Conflicts in the adjacent Sahel region, involving local
insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State,
threaten Senegal’s security and economy. Senegalese troops
are serving as U.N. peacekeepers in Mali, and President

Sall is involved in regional efforts to pressure military
Source: CRS graphic. Data from CIA World Factbook, IMF (2022).
juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea to hold elections
and restore civilian rule. Regional trade sanctions on Mali
The arrest on sexual assault charges of a top opposition
in the first half of 2022 had a negative economic impact on
leader, Ousmane Sonko, sparked large protests in 2021.
Senegal, a Malian trade partner.
Some protesters also decried economic hardships and
COVID-19-related lockdown measures. Sonko was
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine also poses economic and
subsequently elected mayor of Ziguinchor, the largest city
humanitarian challenges for Senegal, on top of the effects
in Casamance, in January 2022 municipal elections, in
of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senegal is dependent on
which the opposition also made gains in Dakar and
imports of grain, fuel, and fertilizer, of which global
elsewhere. Protests again erupted in mid-2022 when Sonko
supplies are under strain. As chairperson of the African
and several other opposition figures were disqualified on a
Union (AU) in 2022, President Sall has sought to position
technicality from running for parliament. Amnesty
himself as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war. He
International criticized government efforts to ban the
traveled to Moscow in June 2022 and afterward seemed to
protests and reported that several protesters and bystanders
echo Russian talking points, blaming Western sanctions for
were killed under unclear circumstances. President Sall’s
fueling food insecurity in Africa. This prompted some U.S.
Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition (“United in Hope” in Wolof)
diplomatic pushback. Sall has not visited Ukraine to date.
lost its absolute parliamentary majority in the July 2022
Senegal received plaudits for its initial response to COVID-
elections, but ultimately formed a new majority coalition.
19, rapidly establishing case surveillance and isolation
After serving an initial seven-year term, Sall was reelected
protocols, mobilizing a national network of community
in 2019 for five years, pursuant to a constitutional
health workers, and supporting development of a cheap
referendum in 2016 that shortened the term length. Two
rapid test by a local research institute. Authorities have
prominent would-be opposition challengers were barred
struggled to mitigate the pandemic’s impacts on Senegal’s
from running in the 2019 elections due to prior corruption
health system and economy, however. Less than 7% of the
convictions that their supporters viewed as politically
population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of late
selective. Opposition parties also objected to electoral law
September 2022, among the lower rates in Africa,
amendments that led the courts to disqualify some two-
according to World Health Organization data.
dozen other contenders. In 2020, the U.S.-based
Politics
organization Freedom House docked Senegal from “Free”
to “Partly Free,” citing “politically motivated prosecutions
Senegal has undergone several peaceful transfers of power

of opposition leaders and changes to the electoral laws”
through elections, has never had a military coup, and has a
that
“reduced the competitiveness of the opposition.”
dynamic independent press and civil society. Critics,

however, accuse President Sall of selectively prosecuting
Foreign Relations
political rivals and of plotting to evade constitutional term
Senegal’s leaders have maintained close relations with
limits. Both tactics are reminiscent of Sall’s predecessor
Western donors—including the United States and former
and onetime patron, Abdoulaye Wade, who ran for a
colonial power France—while pursuing ties with China and
controversial third term in 2012 but was electorally
the Arab Gulf states. Senegal participates in China’s Belt
defeated by Sall, his former prime minister.
and Road initiative; China has reportedly provided loans
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Senegal
and support for infrastructure, especially roads. Senegal
(aka JNIM) has threatened to attack countries, such as
also is among the relatively few Muslim-majority countries
Senegal, that have sent peacekeepers to Mali; Senegalese
to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
soldiers serving in Mali have been killed in attacks.
Senegal has not historically been considered one of
Senegal faces regional maritime security threats including
Russia’s main partners in Africa, but trade ties—notably
piracy; maritime crime; smuggling of narcotics, weapons,
Senegalese imports of Russian fuel and wheat—have grown
and people; and illegal fishing, which (along with
over the past decade amid increased Russian diplomatic
overfishing) threatens local livelihoods and food security.
outreach in the region. In early 2022, Senegal abstained
Senegal participates in regional maritime security initiatives
from two U.S.-backed U.N. General Assembly resolutions
focusing on the Gulf of Guinea, located to Senegal’s south.
critical of Russia, as did many other African countries.
Internal Conflict. A low-intensity separatist conflict in the
Senegal had previously also abstained from a 2014 U.N.
southern Casamance region (Fig. 1) has waxed and waned
resolution affirming Ukraine’s territorial integrity amid
Russia’s seizure of Crimea.
since the early 1980s. The region is ethnically and

religiously distinct from northern Senegal and
President Sall has played a prominent role in regional
geographically cut off by The Gambia—although the
diplomacy, including as AU chair and within the Economic
inauguration in 2019 of a bridge spanning the Gambia
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a trade
River has helped with integration. Rebel activity has caused
bloc that seeks to coordinate responses to political and
population displacement and hurt the local economy, a
security crises. ECOWAS has pressed military juntas in
potential tourism destination and agricultural breadbasket.
Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso to hold elections and return
The rebellion has fractured, and combatants reportedly
power to civilians, with limited success. In 2017, Senegal
engage in banditry and trafficking. In July 2022, President
played a central role in pressing the authoritarian leader of
Sall announced a new peace accord with one rebel faction,
The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, to step down in favor of a
but its concrete impact remains to be seen.
democratically elected successor. Senegalese troops remain
U.S. Relations and Aid
deployed in The Gambia under an ECOWAS mandate.
The State Department characterizes Senegal as “an
The Economy and Development Challenges
important partner of the United States in promoting peace
Outside Dakar, which is home to about one in four
and security in Africa.” Presidents Clinton, George W.
Senegalese, Senegal is largely rural and agrarian, with
Bush, and Obama visited Senegal during their presidencies.
limited arable land and fresh water. Key sources of foreign
In June 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with
exchange include tourism; exports of fish, peanuts, and
his Senegalese counterpart Aïssata Tall Sall (no relation to
phosphates; and diaspora remittances. Offshore oil and gas
President Sall) in Washington DC, emphasizing that the
deposits have been identified but production is not expected
United States and Senegal are “strong partners on so many
to begin before 2024. More than a third of Senegalese
issues based on many shared values.” Blinken indicated that
reportedly live below the international poverty line of $1.90
discussions would focus on addressing “the growing food
per day. Food insecurity is widespread, and malnutrition
security crisis that has been exacerbated by Russia’s war of
has fueled high rates of child mortality and stunting.
aggression against Ukraine.” The meeting took place soon
Malaria is another major health challenge. The adult
after President Sall’s visit to Moscow.
literacy rate is barely over 50%, and lower among women.
The United States is among Senegal’s top donors. U.S.
A lack of economic opportunities, along with a coastal
location and large diaspora, help explain Senegal’s
bilateral aid totaled $126 million in FY2021 (latest publicly
available), focusing on health (particularly malaria),
prominence as a source of irregular migration to Europe.
agriculture, basic education, and democratic governance.
President Sall’s cornerstone economic policy, the “Plan for
The Administration has proposed $135 million in bilateral
an Emerging Senegal,” pairs increased public investment in
aid for Senegal in FY2022. In addition, the U.S.
infrastructure with fiscal reforms and efforts to enhance
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is implementing
state management of anticipated future energy revenues.
a $550 million development compact that aims to improve
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has supported this
access to electricity. Senegal’s government has pledged an
framework with loans and technical support. Annual
additional $50 million to support the project, which is
economic growth averaged over 6% from 2014 to 2019, but
Senegal’s second MCC compact to date. U.S. regional and
fell to 1.3% in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
global programs have provided additional funds, including
Growth recovered to 6.1% in 2021. The economy faces new
for security assistance and for COVID-19 response.
headwinds in 2022 due to the ripple effects of the Russia-
U.S. security assistance and defense cooperation programs
Ukraine war, among other factors.
have supported Senegal’s military professionalism, defense
Security Issues
institution building, participation in U.N. peacekeeping, and
Senegal has not suffered a major domestic terrorist attack,
capacity for maritime security, counter-narcotics, and
but it appears vulnerable to extremist infiltration and
counterterrorism efforts. The United States and Senegal
recruitment. Insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the
signed an agreement in 2016 to facilitate U.S. military
Islamic State are active in neighboring Mali. The local
access to the sub-region.
appeal of extremist Islamist ideology appears limited, but
some Senegalese nationals have reportedly joined Islamist
Alexis Arieff, Analyst in African Affairs
armed groups in Mali, Nigeria, and farther afield. The Al
IF10164
Qaeda-affiliated Group for Supporting Islam and Muslims
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Senegal


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10164 · VERSION 12 · UPDATED

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