His presence yesterday, Wednesday, December 7th, at the National Assembly to vote on his ministry’s budget was an opportunity for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Countries Abroad, Aïssata Tall Sall, to return to directing diplomacy, but also to address the initiatives implemented for Senegalese living abroad.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, Aïssata Tall Sall, who was present yesterday, Wednesday 7 December, at the National Assembly for the budget vote of his ministry, announced that today (Thursday 8 December) she will go to France travels to attend the Intergovernmental Conference organized by the French Republic. This mission will be an opportunity to start negotiations with the French authorities so that Senegalese who have retired in France can reclaim their pensions in Senegal without having to travel to France every 6 months.

During this seminar, she will also discuss the possibility of making diplomats’ wives work so that they no longer have to receive 500,000 CFA francs a month from the State of Senegal. According to Aïssata Tall Sall, ambassadors’ wives are forbidden to work in the host countries. The exchange will also focus on the possibility for visa fees requested by diplomatic missions to be reimbursed in the event of rejection.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad also informs that the Senegalese consulate currently located in Madrid (Spain) will be moved to Barcelona to be much closer to the Senegalese. Also, the promise of the head of Senegalese diplomacy is the census of the Senegalese in Equatorial Guinea so that those who wish to return home can find their own.

“SENEGAL HAS NEVER LEFT MALI UNDER AN EMBARGO”

Aïssata Tall Sall said this in relation to Senegal-Mali relations “Senegal never put Mali under an embargo”. The measure taken, she defends, is a response to the decision by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to place that country under an embargo. Rather, the good relations between Senegal and Mali are reflected in the visit of the President of the Republic, Macky Sall, to this neighboring country.

In addition, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad said that the President of the Republic, Macky Sall, has never shown himself willing to mediate between France and Mali. Rather, it was she, the Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs, who, as so often (in other countries where Senegalese diplomacy has carried out mediations), had expressed a desire to do so when asked by a journalist from Radio France Internationale (Rfi).

MORE THAN 600 MILLION FCFA FOR DEMINING IN THE CASAMANCE

The problem of the mines, which continue to pollute the land and slow down many development actions in the southern region of Senegal, especially for displaced people who are returning to their lands thanks to the army raids and the doldrums, is invited to the debates. In the National Assembly, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad announces that Senegal has received one million euros (plus 600 million CFA francs) from Canada to start demining operations in the Casamance.

AISSATA BIG HALLS: “I’M AT MACKY SALL BECAUSE…”

In addition, his presence in the hemicycle was a moment for the minister to respond to those who criticized his political commitment. “I was never a member of a front for Macky Sall’s exit. I’m at Macky Sall because I think I need to be there. I’m one of those who voted for him in 2012.”She says.

On the diplomatic and consular card, she announced the completion of construction work on the buildings housing the Senegalese embassies in Nigeria and Nouakchott, as well as the start of construction work in certain countries, notably Mali, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.

MBAYANG DIOP CASE AND DOUBLE PASS PRODUCTION CENTERS, FROM 8 TO 16, FOR THE DIASPORA

The detention of Senegalese Mbayang Diop returned to the debate. On the subject, Aïssata Tall Sall said that aid is being given to her, but the state wants everything to run smoothly.

The other commitment of Senegalese diplomacy is to increase the number of passport production centers, which will increase from 8 to 16, and mobile enrollment bags. The new production centers are opened in Egypt, South Africa, Congo, America, Asia, Brazil, Canada, China, United Arab Emirates, Naples and Marseille. Similarly, the minister said, travel commissions for enrolling Senegalese will resume in 2024.

A BUDGET OF MORE THAN 72 BILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023

The budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad is set at the sum of 72,356,690,396 CFA francs in Commitment Appropriations (Ae) and Payment Credits (Cp).

Fatou NDIAYE