🇸🇳SenegalWest Africa
Senegal's Director General of Elections elected president of RECEF in Belgium
via SeneNews1 min read
Magistrate Biram Sène, Senegal's Director General of Elections, was unanimously elected president of the Network of Francophone Electoral Competencies RECEF during its General Assembly in Namur, Belgium, on June 12, 2026. This election signifies a new phase for RECEF, which unites electoral administrations from Francophone countries to promote reliable, transparent, and democratic electoral processes. Founded on August 24, 2011, in Quebec, Canada, RECEF aims to strengthen cooperation among electoral institutions, facilitate experience sharing, support the independence of election bodies, and encourage citizen participation. The network has expanded to include 37 member countries across several continents. Past presidents include General Siaka Sangaré of Mali 2011-2021, Tanor Thiendella Sidy Fall of Senegal 2021-2024, and Mathias Barthélemy Morouba of the Central African Republic 2024-2026. Sène's election is expected to usher in a new period of modernization and strengthened international partnerships in the electoral field, highlighting Senegal's role in electoral governance in Francophone Africa and beyond.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Jibril Rajoub, president of the Palestinian Football Federation, stated on Friday that he was denied entry visas for the United States and Canada, preventing him from attending 2026 World Cup events. Rajoub, who attended the World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City, described the US decision as "ridiculous" after applying in Amman. He plans to attend a match in Mexico before returning to the Palestinian Territories. Rajoub also mentioned that he was denied a visa for Canada, a co-host of the 2026 World Cup, and claimed without providing proof that "the Israelis" had "exerted pressure" to prevent his entry, a situation he reported to FIFA. This follows an incident in April where Rajoub refused to participate in a group photo with an Israeli Federation official at a FIFA congress in Vancouver. The Palestinian Federation has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA's decision not to sanction Israel regarding clubs in occupied West Bank settlements participating in Israeli-supervised competitions. United Nations experts in 2024 identified at least eight football clubs operating in "Israeli settlements" and called on FIFA to uphold human rights responsibilities. The article also notes that US immigration policy has led to entry issues for others, including Somali referee Omar Artan, Iranian national team officials, and Senegalese and Ivorian supporters, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino calling Artan's case "unfortunate."
Defenders William Saliba and Théo Hernandez, along with midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, did not participate in the French national team's training session on Friday. This comes four days before France's World Cup 2026 debut against Senegal. Saliba followed an individualized program due to back pain he has experienced for several weeks. He arrived late to the team's gathering after Arsenal's Champions League final loss to PSG and was excused from France's first preparatory match against Ivory Coast on June 4. He played the first half of the friendly against Northern Ireland on June 8 before being replaced at halftime. Théo Hernandez and Tchouaméni were rested, though the staff indicated there was "no concern" regarding their absence. Both Hernandez and Tchouaméni had started in the two previous matches. France is scheduled to play Senegal in their first World Cup match on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
During his two years as Prime Minister, former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko led an active economic diplomacy, intensifying Senegal's international partnerships. Approximately 50 agreements were signed following 11 official visits to various partner countries. In China, from June 22 to 28, 2025, 16 agreements were signed in industry, housing, and transport, including grants and loans estimated at 100 billion. In Turkey, from August 6 to 10, 2025, four agreements were concluded in energy, agriculture, industry, and defense. In the United Arab Emirates, from September 8 to 12, 2025, agreements were signed in strategic sectors such as energy, mining, health, housing, and digital infrastructure, covering gas network development, photovoltaic power plants, mining projects, and hospital infrastructure. On the African continent, visits strengthened bilateral and regional cooperation. In Gambia December 19–20, 2024, discussions focused on infrastructure, agriculture, fishing, tourism, and the digital economy. In Mauritania January 13–14, 2025, talks concerned the GTA gas project, energy, fishing, and security. In Guinea-Bissau February 23, 2025, a memorandum of understanding was discussed regarding the situation in Casamance. In Burkina Faso May 16–17, 2025, cooperation was strengthened in defense, security, culture, sports, and finance. In Côte d'Ivoire May 30, 2025, bilateral cooperation was consolidated with a portfolio of nearly 49 cumulative agreements. In Sierra Leone June 1, 20