🇸🇳SenegalWest Africa
Blaise Diagne International Airport sees 1.48 million passengers in first half of 2026, solidifying regional hub status
via SeneNews1 min read
Blaise Diagne International Airport AIBD recorded 1,481,529 passengers between January and June 2026, marking a 4.30% increase compared to the previous year. This growth reinforces its position as a key regional hub in West Africa. Passenger traffic included 687,305 arrivals, up 4.19%, and 720,840 departures, up 4.76%. Direct traffic accounted for 1,408,145 passengers, a 4.48% rise, representing nearly 95% of total traffic. Transit passengers numbered 73,384, a slight increase of 0.84%. Europe remained the primary market with 693,468 passengers, growing by 7.62%, followed by Africa with 581,971 passengers, up 3.33%. Beyond passenger numbers, cargo activity also saw significant growth, with 22.3 million kilograms of goods processed in the first half of the year, an increase of 17.93%, driven by a 26.57% rise in exports. These results highlight the efforts of LAS Limak AIBD Senegal, the airport's manager, to enhance air connectivity and operational performance, affirming AIBD's role as a leading airport platform in West Africa.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Babacar Béye, head of the Mycotoxin Laboratory at the Institute of Food Technology ITA, has challenged the alarming interpretation of a recent study concerning aflatoxin contamination in rice in Senegal. According to Béye, analyses conducted at the ITA found contamination levels to be in compliance with Codex Alimentarius standards, an international reference used by many countries. He suggests the controversy arose because the study's results were evaluated against the stricter standards of the European Union, despite the products being intended for the Senegalese market. Béye clarified that the analyzed rice was imported, not local, and that the detected levels are not alarming except under extreme storage conditions of humidity and temperature. He also noted that aflatoxins are thermoresistant, meaning cooking does not eliminate them completely. While acknowledging regular sanitary controls, Béye advocates for their reinforcement to better protect consumers and ensure the quality of food products on the market. He declined to comment on a separate study regarding bacteria in sachet water, stating he was not involved in that work.
Spain's victory in the 2026 World Cup could see a portion of their prize money, approximately $50 million from FIFA, redirected to the US Treasury. This is due to US tax law, which allows the Internal Revenue Service IRS to tax income earned from activities conducted on US soil, even for foreign nationals. The majority of the expanded 48-team tournament matches were held in the United States, a co-host with Canada and Mexico. This potential taxation is not limited to players; coaches, technical staff, and even referees who officiated during the tournament could also be affected. Some estimates suggest that nearly half of the prize money could be withheld. As of now, neither FIFA, the Spanish Football Federation, nor the IRS has confirmed the specific terms or amount of any potential taxation, leaving the exact extent of the levy uncertain.
Must ReadThe National Office for the Recovery of Criminal Assets ONRAC has reported managing over 5,000 assets from criminal proceedings, totaling more than 50 billion CFA francs since its launch on July 23, 2021. These assets include bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, and other equipment. By March 2026, the managed assets comprised over 13 billion in bank seizures, nearly 21 billion in real estate seizures and guarantees, and proceeds from the sale of seized goods. The ONRAC also focuses on preserving the value of assets to prevent depreciation before judicial decisions are made. In 2025, 19 public auctions across six regions generated 2.234 billion CFA francs. While Kédougou accounted for 55% of the volume of goods sold, primarily equipment from illegal gold panning, Dakar generated 85% of the revenue, nearly 1.896 billion, due to the higher value of items sold in the capital. ONRAC Director General, magistrate Mor Ndiaye, stated that the office's mission extends beyond recovery to include managing assets to preserve their value, ensuring restitution if no definitive confiscation is ordered, and contributing to victim compensation. Representing the Minister of Justice, Secretary General Mamadou Diop emphasized ONRAC's crucial role in upholding the principle that "crime must never pay." He announced planned reforms, including modernizing the legal framework, fully digitizing procedures, strengthening human and budgetary resources, and increasing coordination with judicial and part