The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed concerns about the decision by Senegalese authorities to indefinitely postpone the presidential elections, which were initially scheduled for February 25, 2024.
President Macky Sall cited a dispute over the candidate list (electoral roll) as the reason for the postponement.
The Constitutional Council in Senegal had excluded some opposition candidates’ names from the candidate list in January, leading to concerns about the credibility of the electoral process.
“I will initiate an open national dialogue to bring together the conditions for a free, transparent and inclusive election in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal,” President Sall said.
In a communiqué issued by the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on February 3, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria, the commission expressed concern about the circumstances that led to the postponement of the Senegalese presidential elections.
ECOWAS urged the authorities in Senegal to expedite processes for setting a new date for the elections. Additionally, the commission called on the entire political class to prioritize dialogue and collaboration to ensure transparent, inclusive, and credible elections.
“The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States takes note of the decision that the Senegalese authorities have taken to postpone the presidential elections scheduled to take place on 25 February 2024. The ECOWAS Commission expresses concern over the circumstances that have led to the postponement of the elections and appeals to the competent authorities to expedite the various processes in order to set a new date for the elections.”
The ECOWAS Commission applauded outgoing President Macky Sall for adhering to his earlier decision not to seek re-election.
