Pourquoi le Sénégal a besoin de la France (Par Badou Ndao Le Médiateur)
Presidential plane at risk of seizure
President Diomaye's visit to France, and the upcoming visit of his Prime Minister, have a strong whiff of objectivity and political and economic realism. The Senegalese government, especially in the energy sector, is carrying a 700 billion dollar bill, mainly owed to French companies such as Total and Vivo. In other sectors, the government must pay 150 billion to Eiffage. And given the high risk that the Paris investment bank will activate Air Senegal's guarantee to ground its aircraft, in addition to the presidential plane, which was acquired in the same arrangement, there is a certain urgency.
The need for budgetary support
In normal times of normal relations, the State would ask France to alleviate this debt service by requesting budgetary support where France bears part of the disbursements allowing Senegal to breathe and be in good standing with its creditors. It is this essential economic and financial diplomacy that has been undermined by outrageous and belligerent declarations of an opposition that has largely surfed on the anti-France wave in vogue in the sub-region to rally behind pan-Africanist ideas.
Now in power, this opposition realizes that beyond appearances, countries have friends. And this was clarified by the trips of the President and his Prime Minister to China and Turkey, countries that do not disburse a single franc for budgetary or other support, being rather in FDI. That leaves only France, the traditional ally closer to Senegalese realities than any other country in the world and to which we are bound by a past that is certainly not very glorious, but a country with which we share a great deal of things emotionally and intellectually, which is not the least of things. France is a friendly and brotherly country like Great Britain is with the United States. The new authorities, caught up in economic reality, quickly understood that it is better to keep their old friend than to look for others who have their own. China invests in the USA, which is its lifelong friend. Turkey talks with Germany where the largest colony of its diaspora lives.
States have friends
It's a good thing to reconcile with France, which has lost a lot in Senegal, where the construction industry is in Turkish and Chinese hands. French products are rarely seen in our shops, replaced by the flood of Chinese goods. CFAO is for the Japanese. Air France no longer belongs to France. Mining resources are mostly in other hands. Banks and insurance companies are in Moroccan hands. In short, if it weren't for romantic relationships, France is no longer in Senegal except through old companies in which Senegalese people hold interests. It's good, then, to keep things in perspective. We wonder where France is, which should get out?
Khadim Bâ and the others
But there is a catch in these new approaches to reconquering France, which is that everything must be done according to what already exists and with the businessmen who have taken France's place in many sectors, including energy. Finding ourselves with France must not be done against Senegalese companies and the captains of industry who have dug their holes and are promoting national expertise.
In the oil sector, where the African refining company is struggling to import due to a lack of its own cash flow; where Senelec is beginning to suffer the repercussions of SAR's inability to supply it, and where the State lacks the means to invest, experienced businessmen who have Senegalese solutions are in prison, victims of political battles from which they would have been spared.
The case of Khadim Bâ and Samuel Sarr, who are the solutions to the state's problems in this sector. Let's just say that the solutions to this highly sensitive sector, which provides the electricity that the Senegalese are now accustomed to and will not tolerate any power cuts that would set them back, are behind bars or wearing electronic bracelets under false accusations.
President Diomaye and his Prime Minister must know that whatever their results abroad, they will be in the form of projects and that they are less than five years old, whereas local expertise has been putting in place an operational existing system for years which they must take into account.
As much as the Senegalese authorities are thinking of reconciling with France, they should also do so with Senegalese businessmen.
Ndao Badou “The Mediator”
Commentaires (22)
Maintenant c'est le donnant donnant. C'est fini l'ancien système. C'est pourquoi ils sont chassés de l'AES.
Actuellement le gouvernement français a des problèmes pour ficeler son budget avec plus de 3000 milliards de dettes. Les pays africains peuvent vivre sans la France.
Il y a bcp de pays qui peuvent remplacer la France. Il faut voir le gars de l'Algérie qui est courtisée par l'Italie pour son gaz.
C'est pourquoi certains discours ne font que témoigner l'inculture de leurs auteurs.
Si l'on ne maîtrise pas la marche du monde, il faut avoir l'humilité d'aller se documenter pour comprendre.
L'activisme et le populisme ne servent absolument à rien.
Comme exemple, l'Arabie Saoudite sous-traite sa sécurité et c'est le pays de l'oncle Sam qui la protège.
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