Senegalese President Dismisses Prime Minister Amid Debt Crisis

According to Senegalese state media, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced on the 22nd the dismissal of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the dissolution of the government. As the West African nation struggles to address a debt crisis, this move could trigger further political instability. Reuters reported that according to a statement from President Faye's office, he decided to dismiss all ministers, with outgoing cabinet members responsible for caretaker duties. Faye and Sonko were once allies, but their relationship has been strained for months. Sonko's key policies included reviewing resource development agreements, such as those with BP. Senegal is currently facing a severe economic crisis, with the IMF freezing $1.8 billion in loans after discovering misreported debt data, and debt levels estimated at 132% of GDP.