Senegal: Yewwi Askan Wi reacts to the hugs between Macky Sall and opponents

Yewwi Askan Wi, opposition coalition in Senegal (illustration image). © Charlotte Idrac / RFI

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In Senegal, photos, taken Thursday, May 4, have caused a lot of ink to flow. The footage shows the head of state, Macky Sall, alongside Khalifa Sall, Habib Sy, and Barthélémy Dias, all figures of the opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi.

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With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac

While the call for dialogue launched by the head of state for the presidential election is debated within the political class, Yewwi Askan Wi, opposition coalition published a clarification, Friday, May 5, specifying that it is a simple exchange of courtesies, nothing more!

A hug between President Macky Sall and Khalifa Sall, a handshake, all smiles, with Habib Sy, president of the Yewwi Askan Wi leaders' conference, a tribute paid by the head of state to the mayor of the capital, Barthélémy Dias... The opening ceremony of the World Forum on Social and Solidarity Economy, Thursday, May 4, at the Grand Théâtre de Dakar, was marked by an impression of relaxation between the president and the opposition coalition.

This is not the case, Yewwi Askan Wi said in a statement.

«

Barthélémy Dias was kind enough to invite (...) Habib Sy on behalf of the coalition " and Khalifa Sall "as honorary mayor of the city of Dakar," thetext says. "According to the rules of republican civility, handshakes were exchanged between all participants." According to the coalition, "the communication services of the palace (...) hastened to make these images public" but "there is nomeaning of rapprochement."

In the background is the call for dialogue launched by the Head of State, rejected by several members of Yewwi Askan Wi such as Ousmane Sonko, Déthié Fall, of the PRP, or Malick Gakou, of the Grand Party. Their ally, Khalifa Sall, has not yet given his official position but he has left the door open.

► Read also: Senegal: the opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi announces a new series of mobilizations

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• Senegal
• Macky Sall