Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has declined an invitation to attend a Paris investment forum later this month, marking what would have been his first official trip to France since taking office. The September 23 event, hosted by French investment bank BPI France, had listed him as guest of honour, but his office cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for his absence. A government representative will attend in his place.
While Paris is off the table, Sonko’s diplomatic calendar is anything but empty. He will travel to the United Arab Emirates this week for a four-day visit that includes a meeting with President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Later in the month, he is expected in Italy for talks with members of the Senegalese diaspora, reflecting Dakar’s growing engagement beyond its historic ties with France.
The move comes at a delicate moment in Franco-Senegalese relations. In August, France formally handed over its last two military bases in Senegal, ending a permanent military presence in West and Central Africa. The withdrawal followed President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s call for French troops to leave by 2025, alongside demands for an official apology over colonial-era abuses — including the 1944 massacre of African soldiers who had fought for France in World War II.
Sonko’s decision to skip the Paris forum while prioritising the Gulf and diaspora communities is widely seen as a strategic signal. Senegal is not severing ties with France, but it is recalibrating its partnerships to reflect a more independent foreign policy. This shift mirrors a broader trend across West Africa, where governments are seeking to redefine their place on the global stage without leaning too heavily on their former colonial power.
