Ousmane Sonko discusses public debt and past disagreements with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye

Sonko adopted a nuanced stance on debt restructuring, emphasizing a pragmatic approach and stating that decisions must align with current requirements. He reiterated his consistent opposition to "savage" restructuring, arguing that Senegal was not in default and continued to honor its commitments, making such a move premature during his tenure. Sonko also cited international circumstances, such as tensions in the Gulf, as factors exacerbating debt pressure.

He warned that the National Assembly would oppose any solutions not in Senegal's best interest. Regarding debt cancellation, particularly "odious debt," Sonko acknowledged discussing it publicly but noted his limited influence as a political party leader rather than a Prime Minister with full executive power. Sonko revealed that he and President Faye never extensively discussed the public debt issue before his departure from the government.

He stated, "We never discussed it. We were always in agreement on debt management until our last discussion where the question was raised, and he confirmed to me that the line had not changed."