ECOWAS urges swift action in Senegal presidential election

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on the Senegalese authorities to promptly select a new date for the country’s presidential election.

The election which was scheduled for February 25 was postponed indefinitely by President Macky Sall hours to the official campaign kick-off.

In a statement released via its website, the ECOWAS Commission expressed concern about the circumstances surrounding the election postponement.

President Sall had cited ongoing investigations into the integrity of two constitutional council judges involved in the election process as the reason for the delay.

The regional bloc emphasised the importance of expediting the processes to establish a new election date, urging the Senegalese political class to prioritise dialogue and collaboration for a transparent, inclusive, and credible election.

“The Commission urges the entire political class to prioritise dialogue and collaboration for a transparent, inclusive, and credible election,” ECOWAS stated in its appeal.

The ECOWAS Commission encouraged Sall to uphold Senegal’s democratic tradition and assured ongoing monitoring of the situation in the West African nation.

The international community has also expressed unease over Senegal’s political situation following Sall’s decision to postpone this month’s election.

ECOWAS and the United States, along with France and the European Union, called on the authorities to provide clarity on the new election date, which remains unset.

Despite Senegal’s reputation as one of West Africa’s stable democracies, the uncertainty surrounding the election schedule and concerns about the fairness of the electoral race challenge this image.

Sall’s commitment not to seek a third term was initially welcomed, but the absence of a clear electoral timetable raises apprehensions.