Seydi Gassama links Senegal’s rating downgrade to debt burden
Following Moody’s downgrade of Senegal’s sovereign rating, Seydi Gassama has blamed the management of public finances under the previous administration. He is calling on institutions to act jointly in response to the debt crisis.
Moody’s downgrade of Senegal’s sovereign rating from Caa1 to Caa2, with a negative outlook, has revived the debate over public debt. Human rights defender Seydi Gassama believes the decision stems in particular from debt accumulated under Macky Sall’s previous administration.
Unreported commitments cited
According to Seydi Gassama, part of this debt may not have been properly disclosed to financial partners. He puts the amount of unreported commitments at around $7 billion.
According to the information reported, the International Monetary Fund confirmed in March 2025 the existence of around $7 billion in unreported commitments over the 2019 to 2024 period.
A call for an institutional response
For Seydi Gassama, the current economic difficulties, including the sovereign rating downgrade, are linked to this debt, which he describes as colossal. He believes its effects are already being severely felt by the population.
He is calling on the President of the Republic, the government and the National Assembly to work together to provide answers to the debt crisis.
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