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Five days after the presidential election in Senegal, Faye is getting everything ready for a swift transition next week, and again promised change both in policies and in the way the country is administered.
Read on RFI English's website here: https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20240329-change-afoot-for-senegal-as-bassirou-diomaye-faye-readies-for-power
Macky Sall presided over his last government meeting in Dakar this week.
He also met with both Faye and Sonko on Thursday for a first "working session".
The political crisis triggered by Sall's last-minute postponement of the vote, and the subsequently rushed electoral timetable, for long cast doubt on whether the handover could take place before the end of the incumbent's term.
But Faye and his closest advisers have been reassuring and stated they'd be ready for the handover next week.
A swift handover in the West African nation, known for its stability, peaceful transitions between Presidents, would again reinforce the democratic principles in the coup-hit region.
Tight timetable
The incumbent's term officially ends on 2 April.
Faye already announced that he and his team, formed from members of his party the Pastef, will be ready for a handover on that day.
4 April is the date the Senegalese commemorate the independence.
Then Faye intends to form his first government on 5 April, the day after the national holiday.
Presidential candidates nevertheless have in principle 72 hours after the results are announced to lodge an appeal with the Constitutional Council.
The Constitution states that if no appeals are made in this period, "the Council shall immediately proclaim the final results of the ballot".
If no objection is made, the Council has to confirm the results of the election.
"Faye's victory took many by surprise," Timbuktu Institute senior fellow Babacar Ndiaye told me.
"The days after the election have been really peaceful so it's a success for democracy."
But he underlines as well that Faye and Sonko largely won largely because of people's anger against Sall's outpouring, especially his autocratic and oppressive drift. Now they have to deliver the change they promised.
Daring programme
Faye, who has never held elected office, is set to become the fifth president of the West African country of around 18 million people.
On Monday, he promised to restore national "sovereignty" and implement his programme of "left-wing pan-Africanism".
He said he would prioritise "national reconciliation", "rebuilding institutions" and "significantly reducing the cost of living".
His election could herald a profound overhaul of Senegal's institutions.
He spoke of reducing the "hyper-presidentialism", and of introducing a position of vice president. Some have been speculating that he might use it to give a special position to his mentor and former leader of his party, Ousmane Sonko.
"This happened before in 1962 in Senegal, and it didn't work. So, Faye and Sonko would have to find an effective way to run this government even if it's dual," Ndiaye says.
"It will be a challenge for Faye. He would have to take his place, express himself, and have authority."
Faye and his team intend to rationalise the administration, by getting rid of positions and bureaus considered by many as useless, including the Social and Economic Council, and the High Council for Local Governments.
"This could save billions a year", Ndiaye adds, "and save money for significant programmes especially targeted at reducing inequality."
Faye's programme could also rapidly impact the whole region, as Faye has praised a change in the monetary system, to drop the colonial CFA franc and switch to a regional, Ecowas-led currency first, the Eco, and if this doesn't come about to a national currency.
"This could change Senegal," Ndiaye concludes.
"To address the needs of the people, especially the poorest and the weakest in the country. But it also brings a lot of responsibility on them. It's one thing to be popular, another to deliver and to show good management skills."
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