The Senegalese government has presented its 2025 UEMOA review, demonstrating a generally positive trajectory in regional reform implementation despite minor setbacks in certain sectors.
Dakar hosted the political phase of the annual assessment, led by Finance and Budget Minister Cheikh Diba and attended by Abdoulaye Diop, President of the UEMOA Commission, alongside other government officials.
Annual review process and its significance
The review, mandated by Additional Act No. 05/2013 and conducted in Senegal since 2014, has evolved into a biennial exercise following a decision made in Bissau in July 2023. This marks the eleventh iteration of the evaluation, which serves as a critical tool for strengthening economic integration within the West African bloc.
The technical phase, held from November 10 to 12, 2025, assessed 145 reforms and 5 projects before the political phase validated the findings. Diop emphasized the review’s role in evaluating collective actions under the Union’s Treaty, calling it a « powerful lever for economic integration. »
Performance trends and sectoral insights
The overall reform implementation rate for Senegal stands at 76.45% in 2025, a slight decline from 78.59% in 2024. The 2.14-point drop reflects uneven progress across sectors, with notable challenges in culture and tourism (-15.10 points) and craftsmanship, quality standards, and business climate (-34.75 points). Delays in submitting the 2024 GUDEF report to the Commission further contributed to these setbacks.
Conversely, Senegal achieved positive strides in several areas, including:
- Customs union (+4.55 points)
- Human and social development (+6.58 points)
- Energy and mining (+3.33 points)
- Harmonization of public finances (+1.88 point)
Collaborative efforts and next steps
The technical review was conducted collaboratively between Senegalese teams and the UEMOA Commission, described as a « fraternal, professional, and objective » process. The synthesis will be presented by Commissioner Mahamadou Gado, overseeing Economic Policies and Domestic Taxation.
Minister Cheikh Diba reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing regional integration, announcing that the political phase’s conclusions will be submitted directly to the Prime Minister in a meeting with the Commission President. He also commended Amadou Tchambou, the Commission’s Resident Representative in Dakar, for his facilitation role between the regional institution and Senegalese administrations.
Diop praised President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s dedication to regional integration, as well as the support from Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the entire government in advancing the Union’s objectives.