Dette « cachée » et désaccord avec le FMI : Ousmane Sonko pose ses conditions
The interview between Pastef leader Ousmane Sonko and Al Jazeera English also touched on the economic situation in Senegal.
When questioned about the growing debt and the suspension of disbursements from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Speaker of the National Assembly first recalled the legacy left by the previous regime. “I have always maintained this. The only real challenge we face today is economic, particularly concerning public finances and the budget. Why? Because we inherited a country already heavily indebted. When we came to power, the debt-to-GDP ratio was close to 74%, already exceeding the convergence threshold of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). We then conducted an audit of public finances and discovered the existence of hidden debt,” he stated.
“(...), but a hidden debt, a significant portion of whose funds cannot be justified, is indeed odious.”
However, he was keen to clarify his position on the notion of "odious debt." "I want to be very clear on this point, because part of the opposition has adopted an extremely immature attitude, making disinformation its main political strategy. Talking about 'odious debt' does not preclude the existence of hidden debt. In fact, for a debt to be considered odious, it must first be hidden. Not all hidden debt is necessarily odious, but hidden debt for which a significant portion of the funds cannot be justified is indeed odious." He then continued: "As I explained recently, we have identified billions of dollars of hidden debt. By 'hidden debt,' we mean debt that has never been authorized by the National Assembly. Every year, the National Assembly approves the national budget, authorizing both the collection of taxes and the borrowing limit for the President of the Republic." If loans are contracted outside this legal framework and without parliamentary approval, these are then considered hidden debts.
Ousmane Sonko asserted that the existence of these debts is no longer in question. "We will continue to act responsibly and will never seek to paralyze the government, but greater transparency is now essential. The existence of hidden debts is no longer up for debate. The IMF has confirmed it," he stated.
"This is unacceptable. The Senegalese people deserve better."
Asked to comment on the negotiations with the IMF, he stated: “Yes, I consider the IMF a partner with whom we collaborate. I have always maintained that it shares some responsibility, and I believe it has acknowledged this to some extent. It conducted its own internal review, identified those involved within its organization, and took the necessary corrective measures. Senegal, on the other hand, has not done enough. Essentially, the same people continue to manage this matter, which inevitably raises questions of transparency.”
However, he deplored the political approach to the matter. He argued: “Here again, however, we have dragged our feet. Why? On these issues, I agree with the IMF's position. We cannot tell the Senegalese people that certain individuals have failed in their constitutional obligations and plunged the country into this situation, and then refuse to identify those responsible. Unfortunately, this matter is being handled from a political angle, even driven by political considerations. Some people seem ready to ignore everything, provided that those responsible agree to join a political coalition or a particular party. This is unacceptable. The Senegalese people deserve better.”
"I disagree with the IMF when it seeks to impose policies that force us to…"
The Pastef leader also expressed his disagreements with the IMF. "As long as this lack of transparency persists and no serious effort is made to identify those responsible and hold them accountable, it is unreasonable to continue asking the Senegalese people to make sacrifices while simultaneously requesting a new IMF program. On these points, I am in complete agreement with this institution," he stated.
However, Sonko states: "I disagree with the IMF when it seeks to impose policies that force us to abandon our development priorities, our social programs, and our national agenda, simply to devote all available resources to repaying a debt, part of which is odious. I also disagree when a country that has done everything possible, as we did during my term as Prime Minister, does not receive the support it deserves."
“We have put in place a recovery plan. We have honored all the commitments made to our creditors. The IMF itself has recognized that, in such circumstances, this is precisely the moment when it must play its role as lender of last resort. So, in reality, it is a question of debt and justice,” he notes.
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