Senegal UEMOA review 2025: steady progress amid reform slowdown

Senegal’s 2025 UEMOA review highlights mixed progress in regional integration

Under the leadership of Finance and Budget Minister Cheikh Diba, Dakar hosted the high-profile political phase of the 2025 UEMOA annual review, bringing together senior government officials and regional leaders. The event, held in the capital, marked the eleventh iteration of this assessment since its launch in 2014 and the second biannual review following a 2023 decision made in Bissau.

The review process, mandated by Additional Act No. 05/2013 of October 24, 2013, is designed to strengthen economic integration across the Union’s member states. A technical phase was conducted earlier in November 2025, evaluating 145 reforms and five key projects before the political phase validated findings this week.

The overall assessment is cautiously positive, though not without concerns. Senegal’s average reform implementation rate now stands at 76.45% in 2025, a slight decline from 78.59% in 2024—a drop of 2.14 percentage points. This dip is largely attributed to underperformance in the culture and tourism sectors (-15.10 points) and handicrafts, quality, and business climate (-34.75 points), compounded by delays in submitting the 2024 GUDEF report to the Commission.

On a brighter note, progress was recorded in several critical areas: the customs union (+4.55 points), human and social development (+6.58 points), energy and mining (+3.33 points), and public finance harmonization (+1.88 point).

The technical review phase was marked by close collaboration between Senegalese officials and UEMOA technical teams, described as “fraternal, professional, and objective.” The findings will be synthesized by Commissioner Mahamadou Gado, who oversees Economic Policies and Domestic Taxation.

Minister Cheikh Diba reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing regional integration, announcing that the review’s conclusions will be presented directly to the Prime Minister in a joint meeting with the UEMOA Commission President. He also commended the facilitation role of Amadou Tchambou, UEMOA’s Resident Representative in Dakar, in bridging regional institutions with national administrations.

Commission President Abdoulaye Diop praised President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s dedication to regional cohesion, as well as the strong backing from Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the entire government in advancing the Union’s objectives.