The Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, left Dakar this Friday morning for an official visit to the People’s Republic of China. At the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Li Qiang, this visit is part of the strengthening of the strategic partnership between Senegal and China, as well as the participation of the Senegalese Head of Government in the 15th edition of the Davos Summer Forum, scheduled in Tianjin from 24 to 26 June 2025. The Forum, which this year was held under the theme “Entrepreneurship for a new era”, brought together several Heads of State and Government, including those of Singapore, Vietnam, Finland and Uzbekistan. It is one of the largest international meetings on economic innovation, technological transition and prospects for global growth. It brings together political, economic and academic leaders and representatives of international organizations to discuss major issues such as economic recovery, global debt, artificial intelligence and energy transition. Financial commitments amounted to more than 100 billion FCFA per year. In addition to his participation in the Forum, Ousmane Sonko will have several bilateral meetings with Chinese authorities and leading economic actors. The objective is clear: to consolidate the links between Dakar and Beijing and to advance the structuring projects carried out in the framework of Sino-Senegalese cooperation. For several years, China has been a strategic partner of Senegal with financial commitments amounting on average to more than 100 billion FCFA per year. These conventions take the form of concessional loans, grants or interest-free loans. To date, the signed conventions amount to approximately 63 014,3 billion FCFA, including the recent agreement of 100 million dollars for the second phase of the project for the supply of drinking water in rural areas. The sectors affected by this cooperation are vast and include agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, digital, energy and transport. Among the emblematic projects completed or in progress are the Ila Touba motorway (406 billion FCFA), the Thiès-Mbour-Aibd motorway (240 billion FCFA) and the future Fatick-Kaolack motorway (460 billion FFA). The Commission’s proposal for a regulation is based on the principle of subsidiarity and is designed to ensure that the Community’s financial interests are protected. The European Union is committed to the development of a common foreign and security policy.
Ousmane Sonko in China: A strategic visit under the seal of the reinforcement of the Dakar-Beijing axis
