Africa-Press. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed former Senegalese President Macky Sall at the Élysée Palace in Paris for a meeting dedicated to discussing Sall’s candidacy for the position of UN Secretary-General, a move that may provoke political reactions within Senegal amid ongoing debates regarding his international campaign.
Although the meeting was not on the official agenda of the French president, Macky Sall announced it himself via his social media accounts, sharing a photo of himself with Macron on the main staircase of the Élysée Palace, taken during the meeting held on Tuesday, June 2.
Sall expressed his gratitude to the French president for the warm reception in a message published in both French and English, noting that the two sides had fruitful discussions about the future of the United Nations. He emphasized that both parties share an ambitious vision for reforming the international organization and enhancing its effectiveness and ability to respond to the aspirations of nations and peoples.
This meeting is part of the international campaign led by Macky Sall to support his candidacy for the position of UN Secretary-General. The former Senegalese president presented his vision for reforming the international organization during a hearing before the UN General Assembly last April, which is based on principles of simplification, improvement, and rationalizing institutional performance.
The Élysée Palace has not issued any official comment regarding the meeting or whether France intends to support Sall’s candidacy for the UN position, but the meeting reflects the ongoing good relations between the French president and the former Senegalese president.
Macky Sall is pursuing his candidacy without official support from the Senegalese government. Senegalese President Bachelet Dioumaï Faye announced in early May that the country had chosen to remain neutral on this matter, confirming that Senegalese authorities had not intervened in the candidacy process since its inception, even at the request of Macky Sall himself.
The meeting has garnered significant attention in Senegalese political and media circles, with many supporters of the former president celebrating it. Nini Tall, a member of the Alliance for the Republic party, posted a picture of the meeting and commented that “great men discuss the future of the world,” while numerous Senegalese media outlets widely reported the news.
Some media platforms in Senegal believe that any support or positive stance from Paris regarding Macky Sall’s candidacy could provide him with a significant boost in the race to succeed current UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends at the end of 2026. The new Secretary-General is expected to take office on January 1, 2027, following elections a few weeks prior.
