Senegal President Macky Sall appoints first PM since 2019

Amadou Ba’s appointment re-establishes the place of prime minister following its abolition in April 2019.

Amadou Ba, a 61-year-old taxation specialist who has additionally served as international minister, was named as Senegal's prime minister [File: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via Reuters]

Senegalese President Macky Sall has reinstated the put up of prime minister, appointing a former financial system minister to the job two months after a tense legislative election through which Sall’s ruling coalition misplaced its snug majority.

Amadou Ba, a 61-year-old taxation specialist who has additionally served as international minister, was named because the West African nation’s prime minister, a press release from the presidency mentioned on Saturday.

Ba’s appointment re-establishes the place of prime minister within the West African nation following its abolition in April 2019.

In a speech to the nation broadcast on Friday, Sall mentioned the brand new prime minister could be accountable for addressing the rising price of residing.

“Measures to cut back the price of residing and help employment and entrepreneurship for younger folks, the struggle towards floods and expensive rents will stay the very best of priorities for me,” Sall mentioned.

Ba echoed these sentiments throughout his first speech after the president’s secretary-general learn out the decree.

“The main priorities that the president has outlined embrace enhancing family buying energy, taming inflation, safety, housing, vocational coaching, employment and entrepreneurship,” Ba mentioned on nationwide tv after a gathering with Sall on Saturday.

The complete authorities is predicted to be appointed in a while Saturday.

Earlier this week, Senegal’s safety forces had been referred to as to safe a voting course of in parliament and maintain again opposition members of parliament who tried to disrupt the election of a brand new president of the nationwide meeting. The meeting was convening for the primary time since July’s election.

Sall got here to energy in 2012 after unseating longtime President Abdoulaye Wade. He was elected once more in 2019 on guarantees of large-scale infrastructure growth because the nation is ready to start out producing oil and pure gasoline subsequent 12 months.

However a lot of his second time period has been marked by financial hardship – partly stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and international fallout linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Political tensions have boiled over Sall’s refusal to publicly rule out a third-term presidential bid in 2024.

Violent protests erupted in Senegal final 12 months when Ousmane Sonko, Sall’s important opponent who got here third within the 2019 presidential election, was arrested on rape prices which he denied.

Sonko was launched however many protesters noticed his arrest as an try by Sall to take away a outstanding rival and clear his path for a 3rd time period bid.