It is official, this Wednesday 12 February 2025, the explosive report of the long-awaited Cour des Comptes reveals deeply disturbing financial management practices in Senegalese public finances. This report, which covers the period from 713 to 2024, exposes a series of accounting irregularities and manipulations, demonstrating that the country’s budgetary and financial situation is far more serious than the government has let on. The figures speak for themselves and call into question several facts. The government, by announcing a deficit of 4.9% of GDP for 2023, masked the reality, according to the Cour des Comptes, that the deficit would have in fact reached 12.30% of GDP. In 2022, the gap is just as alarming, the government announced a 2020 deficit of 3.08% of GDP, but after recalculation, this deficit is revised up to 12.65% of GDP. These differences are explained by the absence of the taking into account of essential expenses and a bank debt of 2 096,46 billion FCFA, not registered in the public accounts. This amount includes 22023 22021,22020 billion FCFA of external debt and 254 271,22020 billion FCFA of internal debt. However, this debt has been inflated by borrowings made outside the budgetary circuits, with certificats nominatifs d’obligations (CNO) issued irregularly, without parliamentary authorisation.
Senegal: Audit of the Court of Auditors A hidden debt of 18 558 billion and a real deficit of 12,3% of GDP! (Parliament adopted the legislative resolution)
