In an interview with Al Jazeera Net.. Senegalese government spokesman: We represent a democratic exception in Africa

Senegalese Trade Minister and government spokesman Abdou Karim Fofana (Al Jazeera)

DAKAR

- Senegalese government spokesman, Minister of Trade and Consumerism Abdou Karim Fofana, said that his country constitutes a democratic exception in Africa, noting that the expected accession of gas-exporting countries will provide a strong position in more modern economic sectors.

He added in an interview with Al Jazeera Net that President Macky Sall, the first president in Senegal's history, is not seeking a third term, and he is also the only president who organizes elections without participating in them, which, according to him, shows the extent of Senegal's exceptionalism and the greatness of its democracy.

Regarding the accusations against his government of “political assassination” of its opponents, especially opposition leader Ousman Sonko, whose candidacy with others was rejected by the Constitutional Council for the presidential elections scheduled for the end of this month, Fofana said that calling for rebellion represents a serious crime, and that Sonko did not limit himself to calling for rebellion, but rather called for the removal of The president called on young people to sacrifice their lives and promoted political violence.

He pointed out that the man did not stop - according to his words - at the verbal call for rebellion, "but rather his supporters - as far as we know according to investigations - committed acts of violence on the ground, vandalized the property of others, and confronted the security forces, and 40 Senegalese were killed during all of these events."

He stressed that in the face of this, "it is natural that in any country - when you call for rebellion and this call is followed by events that result in deaths and material losses in public property - that you are summoned and that what the law stipulates is applied to you."

On another topic, the government spokesman said that Senegal's expected accession to energy exporting countries during the past months represents a factor in strengthening the economy, and would "change the nature of our economy."

He pointed out that the most important matter is not oil or gas revenues, but rather the opportunities that the economy will have for diversification. Because what we must understand is that since our independence, we have been an agricultural economy, mainly based on peanuts and grains, and so having these two elements will allow us a strong position in more modern economic sectors, such as industry.

The following is the text of the interview:

• Your country is currently preparing to hold decisive presidential elections. What measures and guarantees have you put in place to ensure the transparency and integrity of these elections?

Regarding guarantees, I believe that Senegal's reputation in the field of elections is sufficient, because recent history tells us that we are a democratic state, and since 1960 it has been steadily organizing free and transparent elections.

Since 1990-1991, we have had a culture based on establishing what we call consensual election law. This means, in addition to the legal status and role of the National Assembly (Parliament), that there should be, first and foremost, a discussion between political actors, the opposition, and the government to establish consensual rules. One cannot expect a lack of transparency in elections in a country where the opposition won in the big cities during the last local elections, while the government won the elections in the countryside.

Also, when we look a little at the legislative elections, we also see that the results of the opposition combined, that is, all the opposition alliances, are almost equal to the results of the majority. Therefore, this situation is only possible because we are in a democracy. All of this is only possible because we have a transparent electoral system. Therefore, the inherent nature of Senegal's electoral system is transparency. This is beyond the government's powers, because the electoral system does not consist of the government alone.

On the one hand, there is the state, and there is the judiciary. On the other hand, civil society and the media, which are factors that lead to the fact that this system can only be transparent, as we have never witnessed fraudulent elections. In the end, anyone can express their own opinions, but the truth is that there is alternation. There are areas where the opposition wins and the authorities win. If the elections were not transparent, the government would not have let the opposition win in important areas such as major cities.

Senegalese President Macky Sall did not run in the elections held at the end of this month (Al Jazeera)

• Senegal is known as a beacon of democracy in a region that often faces coups and conflicts. Do you think the upcoming elections will reinforce this image or change it?

Yes, of course, coups are a major concern because the popular will of voters cannot be replaced with weapons. From this perspective, and praise be to God, Senegal has always been an exception. We hope that this exception will remain the rule, and that the various political actors will work to ensure its sustainability.

Elections, as I said, are the expression of the people's opinion. Every person has the right to express his opinions, of course, within the framework of laws and regulations. As long as we have this democratic spirit, and as long as we are prepared to accept the popular decision, there will be no problem.

But what should be noted is that in recent years, there has been a wave of populism all over the world, not just in Senegal. There are a number of political actors who often wish to use violence instead of elections, and insults instead of political debate, and we also monitor this because it is this manipulation that often produces conditions for difficult coexistence between political parties.

• Supporters of the opposition Sonko say that the government conspired to prevent him from participating in the elections, and this is what they consider an attack on the integrity and credibility of the vote.. What is your response?

As you know, elections are also a matter governed by laws and regulations. The laws regarding elections, and the civil and political rights of citizens, are not determined by the authorities but by the National Assembly, and the Senegalese are the ones who agreed on the rules they established. That's what it is, and it kind of makes our institutional and democratic bases stronger.

What happened in this Sonko case? In this aspect I would like to give an example. In one of the largest, if not the largest, democracies in the world, the United States, you saw what the judiciary said about President Donald Trump. Justice has declared that he is ineligible to run because he called for rebellion.

Calling for rebellion is a serious crime when it calls on people to go out and disrespect institutions. In the case of Sonko, he not only called for rebellion, but also called for the removal of the President of the Republic, called on young people to sacrifice their lives and promoted political violence.

But he did not stop at doing so verbally. Rather, his supporters, as far as we know according to investigations, committed acts of violence on the ground, vandalized other people’s property, and confronted security forces. 40 Senegalese were killed during all of these events.

Previous clashes between Senegalese police and supporters of oppositionist Sonko (Reuters)

In the face of this, it is natural that in any country, when you call for rebellion and this call is followed by events that result in deaths and material losses in public property, it is normal for you to be summoned and for what the law stipulates to be applied to you.

This is the normal rule, and the day any political actor can call for violence, call for rebellion and no legal action will ensue, we will cease to be a country.

This is what happened, and it is similar to what happens in all major democracies, so it has nothing to do with the electoral process.

Today - which shows you the vitality of Senegalese democracy - there are more than 200 candidates who will take their files and declare themselves candidates, collect their mandates, as required by law, and give their guarantees, and they campaign and criticize the government all day long (the Constitutional Council approved a list of 20 candidates for the planned presidential elections conducted on February 25).

But attention must be paid, as they have not exceeded this limit set by the law. It is a call for rebellion, violence, disrespect for institutions, and a call for political and social chaos. So that's what it is. We have a tradition. We have seen 4 presidents succeeding the presidency of Senegal. Everyone had the opportunity to move around the country, express themselves freely in the media, mobilize their voters and win elections. This was acceptable.

Currently, if it is intended to impose on the Senegalese another way to gain power, which has nothing to do with democracy, and passes through manipulation of the media, insults and violence, then this is not democratic.

We want a democratic and transparent electoral system. Elections through violence and manipulation are not what represents Senegal, and Senegal will never accept that.

• What is the expected date for the start of natural gas exploitation and what do you expect?

Oil and gas are really a factor in boosting the economy. This will change the nature of our economy. The first exploits - and I mean the first revenues - were expected by the end of the year. Unfortunately, it has been postponed to 2024. So there is a slight delay.

But in reality, what is more important is not the oil or gas revenues, but the opportunities that the Senegalese economy will have to diversify. Because what we must understand is that since our independence, we have been an agricultural economy, based mainly on groundnuts and grains, an economy that is also affected by very low rainfall.

Therefore, owning oil and gas will give us a strong position in more modern economic sectors, such as industry. Many products are imported from Asia and Europe to African countries. We, due to our geographical location and the requirements provided by oil and gas, will be able to become an industrial center, a service center, and a very strong economic center overlooking the African mainland, especially the West African region.

So Senegal is preparing to produce the first quantities of oil and gas, but it is also preparing to transform its economy to be able to develop a broader industry, a broader service economy, and to be a catalyst for the economy in Africa. These are the overall changes expected from Africa.

• How do you view the fact that the field from which gas is expected to be extracted in the first half of 2024 is not specific to Senegal, but rather a shared field with Mauritania?

First, we do not choose our neighbors, nor do we choose what nature has in store for us. Mauritania is a sister country to Senegal. We share a lot in terms of culture, population and migrations. When you go to the borders of Senegal and Mauritania, you find almost the same people.

Many Senegalese go to Mauritania to study the Qur’an and the Arabic language. Many Mauritanians also come to study in Dakar, and many come to Senegalese hospitals for treatment. Therefore, these are two brother peoples embraced by the same Arab-Islamic culture.

Currently, the divine will requires that we have a gas field extending between the two maritime regions. The leadership of our two countries was very wise from the beginning to agree on joint exploitation and work not to divide Senegal and Mauritania, because that would be difficult and would be meaningless.

Therefore, this is real cooperation between two brotherly countries. We have agreed on all the arrangements, and this is the most important thing. It is a cooperation that deserves to be welcomed and encouraged, and it is quite a revolutionary thing for two countries to be able to achieve in a fraternal way, despite the system and economic reality that surrounds them, and, moreover, to have frank, transparent cooperation that is also positive for the population and for our economies.

• Popular expectations are high in Senegal and Mauritania, and many citizens believe that their lives and economic conditions will change radically with the first gas shipment to be exported. What are your expectations for the impact of gas extraction on living standards?

Yes, firstly, as I said, it is not just budget revenues because when we talk about oil and gas, everyone thinks about what will be exploited and exported. The state has enacted a law, first, to secure revenues and to include revenues in the budget. We are also creating a joint generational fund because oil and gas belong to the Senegalese of today, but also to the Senegalese of tomorrow.

To anticipate and prepare for the future - because today's economic reality will not be tomorrow's economic reality - the Generations Fund allows us to make strategic investments and guarantee income for Senegalese from this perspective. But also, to transform our economy, and do not forget that oil and gas are catalysts for economic transformation. Those who have oil and gas will have significant revenues, but more importantly, they will expand the scope of their products and services to the world.

So we want our economy to be petrochemical. We have, for example, a lot of phosphoric acid. With the gas, we will be able to process it and make fertilizers ourselves, and do so for the benefit of Senegal as well as for the benefit of the countries beyond Senegal. We have many gas fields, and we also have phosphoric acid, and if we combine them with a strong enough industry, with all the Senegalese knowledge in this field, Senegal will be able to turn into a giant in terms of agricultural products, and develop our agriculture as well.

So, there is an opportunity to develop our industry and agriculture, but also our petrochemical sector, and this will change the perspective of our economy, increase the added value of products in Senegal, and also allow us to be a supplier of this type of product to many countries in West Africa and Africa in general. .

• In the face of the escalation of military coups in the region, what is Senegal’s position on this trend, and what are its security and political repercussions?

As I told you before, Senegal remains committed to the institutional system. We believe that whatever the difficulties in African countries, political dialogue must have priority, not force and weapons. It is unfortunate that in recent years we have faced a situation in which many countries are mired in practices of this kind.

However, it is true that the situation in our countries is not easy either, and through foreign hands we see almost everywhere these populations who are pushed to some extent to criticize the institutional system and the principle of preferring democracy, voting and elections... as opposed to preferring violence over that. Therefore, we pay close attention to this issue.

We know that in general when coups occur, it is because from the beginning there was also a lot of social and political manipulation that leads to them. This prompts us to strengthen security on our borders, and to monitor the actors that push, within our countries, trends to move and overthrow the institutional system.

• Senegal is the only country in the region that has not witnessed coups. Can the infection of these coups be prevented and avoided?

Yes, Senegal has a very strong institutional tradition. He also has a very professional army. For this reason, in political debate we often have an attitude of tolerance as well as openness.

The origin of these unrest is the absence of dialogue between political actors. Because the role of the army is to defend the homeland and ensure stability. The role of politicians, those who were elected, and civilians who were chosen by universal suffrage, is to consult and talk among themselves, and to listen to each other. This is the best way. In Senegal, despite all the difficulties, there is a lively political debate.

There are more than 20 TV channels. There are more than 30 daily newspapers, sometimes embedded in political parties and funded by politicians, and no one is bothered by that. There are more than 200 radio stations. There are 50 websites that criticize the state daily, and some of them support a particular politician. But this is pluralism, and this is the tradition of pluralism.

But this freedom, and every freedom, comes with responsibility. Every politician must bear in mind the responsibility for the freedom granted to him by the Constitution of Senegal and by his political status. This means that the freedom you have is to strengthen the republic and the republican system. It is to consolidate democracy. It is to express and represent people. But it is not to create a rift between political actors, or in society, or between religions or ethnic groups. This is the responsibility.

As long as we take into account this concept of responsibility, which includes freedom of expression, there will be no problem. This is why we struggle to be firm with those who create a discourse of estrangement among Senegalese, a discourse of division that creates difference among Senegalese. We do not want a divided society, but rather a unified society. This is the task of politicians. As long as we have a unified society, a responsible society, and responsible political actors, there will be no problem in our relations with the people.

• Many note that most of the military coups in the region expressed hostility to the French presence, and public opinion has become increasingly critical of French policies. How do you see this movement? How does Senegal adapt its relations with Paris in the face of this new regional reality?

Yes, as you are aware, Senegal is a sovereign country. Our sovereignty is of the utmost importance. From the perspective of our relations, the principle is that we are an open country, but we do not have an exclusive vision in our relations. Friendship with one country does not mean lack of friendship with another country. The proof of this is that everyone is talking about France and its relations with Russia. You have seen that the President of the Republic has good relations with France. But it is a relationship based on frankness. We act as partners, in an equal partnership in which both sides win. But this does not prevent us from establishing relations with other countries, such as Russia.

You saw that when there was an embargo on grains and fertilizers, it was Senegal that was able to overcome this rivalry or this hostility between the European Union and the West on the one hand and Russia on the other, to go and communicate with a party in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and to speak to it in the language of diplomacy. This has brought about a change in trade relations, because war may break out and all the difficulties resulting from a conflict occur, but the interests of the other partners are also preserved.

So we are a sovereign country, and a country that is free in its relations. Also, we consider that we have a historical relationship with France, but it is a peer relationship. It is a win-win relationship. We do not have any specific affiliation with any country. These are partnerships rooted in history, and evolving in accordance with our economic, political and diplomatic orientations. Today, we embrace it naturally.

But this does not prevent us from forming relationships, nor does it restrict us in our relationships. We deal with the matter this way, taking into account internal public opinion.

Internal public opinion is part of the political game and public policy, regardless of its orientation, whether it is right or not, and whether it is subject to manipulation or not, it is one of the things that we take into account in our relations.

• How do you evaluate the current level of relations between Senegal and Arab countries?

Senegal has always had special relations with Arab countries. I believe that we have the same tradition, founded first on Islamic culture, values ​​and religion. Senegal is a country where more than 95% of the population is Muslim, so this undoubtedly creates connections.

We also have traditions, firstly cultural, due to migrations and our geographical location, but also scientific traditions. Many Senegalese students study in these countries. This creates very strong relationships. Previously, relations were based only on cultural and religious ties. But we are moving more and more towards economic and diplomatic cooperation. It is therefore a matter of ties that strengthen over time and open many promising horizons for our countries.

• Back to the start, in 2024, two new visitors will arrive in Senegal: a new president and the start of gas exploitation. What does this mean to you?

Yes. This is not the first time Senegal has changed its president. What is commendable is that we are an exception in Africa. That is, a president has the constitutional right to run for office, and he is the first president in the history of Senegal not to seek a third term. He is also the only president who will organize elections and will not participate in them. Therefore, this shows - once again - the extent of Senegal's exceptionalism and the greatness of its democracy.

The other thing is that we are moving towards oil and gas production. It is true that this is an important turning point, but do not forget what came before it: Senegal organized live public consultations on television, where stakeholders' opinions were taken on what to do with our oil and gas. That is, the actors in the field of oil: the state spoke, public interests spoke, civil society spoke, even the fishermen, who are to some extent neighbors of this oil activity because Senegalese oil was discovered at sea and in the depths, and the fishermen expressed their opinion on how the oil and its activities affect it. on fish production. A national debate has been held, transparency laws have been enacted in the National Assembly, and this process is what allows us to proceed with peace of mind.

Now, we will be faced with the test of management, oversight, and distribution of resources in order to have a good and very good impact on the daily lives of the Senegalese, and this is what is most important. Oil is important if it brings about change, if it improves the daily lives of Senegalese.

Source: Al Jazeera