Highlights: Three days after the inauguration of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the country's 5th president, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko made his government team public. It is made up of 25 ministers and five secretaries of state. With twenty-five ministers, they are almost 10 fewer than the last government under Macky Sall. Professor of political sociology Alassane Ndao sees this as a sign of rupture and a desire for openness, to integrate into this government.

Three days after the inauguration of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the country's 5th president, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko made his government team public. It is made up of 25 ministers and five…

Senegal: Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko presents his “rupture” government

Three days after the inauguration of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the country's 5th president, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko made his government team public. It is made up of 25 ministers and five secretaries of state.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko during the announcement of the new government, April 5, 2024 in Dakar. AFP - -

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Dakar

Léa-Lisa Westerhoff

This is a tight team. With twenty-five ministers, they are almost 10 fewer than the last government under Macky Sall. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in his introduction promised a disruptive government.

Among the sovereign ministries, only two portfolios are occupied by important members of the President's Party. In Foreign Affairs, a woman, Yassine Fall, vice-president of Pastef, responsible for international relations. And then at the Ministry of Energy, Oil and Mines, another important position with oil exploitation which will start, Birhame Souley Diop, one of the co-founders of the Pastef les patriotes party, and campaign director of Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Read alsoSenegal: President Bassirou Diomaye Faye reveals the main directions of his policy

At Justice, the prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Ousmane Diagne, was appointed. A former public prosecutor, he has a solid and serious reputation.

For Defense, the former Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, General Birhame Diop takes the portfolio of Minister of the Armed Forces. More surprisingly, for the Interior, it is also a general who has been appointed, the General Jean-Baptise Tine, former high commander of the national gendarmerie, therefore an apolitical personality.

Two generals in the same government is unprecedented in Senegal. Professor of political sociology Alassane Ndao sees this as a sign of rupture and a desire for openness, to integrate into this government and in particularly strategic positions personalities deemed neutral to reassure the opposition and civil society, according to him.

Read alsoSenegal: Bassirou Diomaye Faye appoints Ousmane Sonko Prime Minister

For the rest, many personalities from civil society little known to the general public. We will see if for the Senegalese, this team will be perceived as the government of unity and proximity that Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko promised them when appointing his team.

Senegal: Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko presents his “rupture” government

Senegal: Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko presents his “rupture” government

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