Youth Advisory Council: "The Republic has entrusted you with a responsibility," says Diomaye Faye

The President of the Republic officially inaugurated the Senegalese Youth Advisory Council. On this occasion, Bassirou Diomaye Faye asked the new council members to formulate concrete proposals and invited them to fully participate in the country's transformation. "Bring us precise, quantified, and practical recommendations," the Head of State told the members of the Senegalese Youth Advisory Council.

The president pledged that their proposals would be considered and announced that the advisors would be available for consultation when the situation warranted. The government, under the authority of the prime minister, will also be required to consult with them on issues related to career guidance, vocational training, and digital skills.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye also invited local authorities, the private sector, civil society and technical and financial partners to adopt the same approach.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games are in sight.

In the final part of his speech, the president linked this new responsibility to the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, scheduled for October 31 to November 13. "Africa is hosting, Dakar is celebrating, and the world is watching," he declared, calling on young people to demonstrate what a Senegal committed to its history and looking towards the future is capable of achieving.

He notably recalled the symbolic significance of welcoming the Olympic flame to the African continent and the responsibility entrusted to Senegalese youth on the occasion of this event.

In a more personal moment, Bassirou Diomaye Faye reflected on his own journey. Elected president at 44, he recalled that he had entered politics in 2014, at the age of 34. "The people told him that his turn wasn't coming tomorrow," he declared, referring to the role of youth in building the country's future.

The president also spoke about his children, who will grow up in a world profoundly shaped by new technologies. "I am not worried about them. I am not worried about you," he assured them, believing that the strength of Senegalese youth lies particularly in the values transmitted by the country. "Worry is not my role; dispelling it is my mission."

"The country is waiting for you outside."

In conclusion, the head of state returned to the metaphor of the initiation hut used at the beginning of his speech: "The Republic has taken you under its wing. It has entrusted you with a responsibility. (...) The country awaits you outside."

Bassirou Diomaye Faye then officially declared the Senegal Youth Advisory Council installed.