Macky Sall

Macky Sall, born on December eleventh, nineteen sixty-one, is a prominent Senegalese politician and engineer who served as the fourth president of Senegal from 2012 to 2024. His political journey began as the eighth prime minister from 2004 to 2007 under President Abdoulaye Wade, followed by a term as the president of the National Assembly from 2007 to 2008. Sall's early political career also included serving as the Mayor of Fatick from 2002 to 2008 and again from 2009 to 2012.

After a fallout with Wade, Sall was removed from his position as President of the National Assembly in November 2008. This pivotal moment led him to establish his own political party, the Alliance for the Republic (APR), and join the opposition. In the 2012 presidential election, he placed second in the first round but garnered support from other opposition candidates, ultimately defeating Wade in the second round held on March twenty-fifth, 2012. Notably, he became the first president born after Senegal gained independence from France.

During his presidency, Sall oversaw significant infrastructure developments, including a new airport and town near Dakar, highways, express trains, a national stadium, and a vital road link to Mali. His administration witnessed a remarkable economic growth, with the annual GDP rising from seventeen billion to twenty-seven billion dollars. Internationally, he gained recognition for his diplomatic initiatives, advocating for African debt cancellation, enhancing anti-terrorism measures, and condemning military coups.

Sall played a crucial role in addressing conflicts in Senegal's Casamance region and was instrumental in the ousting of dictator Yahya Jammeh in neighboring Gambia in 2017. However, his tenure was not without challenges, as he faced criticism regarding governance issues, including tensions with the political opposition and constitutional debates that sparked protests in Senegal during 2023 and 2024.

Looking ahead, Macky Sall is a candidate to succeed António Guterres as Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2027, with his candidacy endorsed by Burundi and supported by several African nations.