On Friday, July 17, at 3:00 PM, a special aircraft carrying former President Macky Sall will land at the Dakar military airport, signifying a critical and timely return to the country he led for twelve years.

This is no ordinary visit. Upon touchdown, Sall is scheduled for an immediate meeting with the current President at the Republic Palace before departing for New York by 6:00 PM the same day. His agenda is clear: securing support for his bid to become United Nations Secretary-General—a position Dakar has yet to endorse publicly.

Yet his return is met with divided reactions. While some view it as a necessary step toward regional diplomacy, others see it as a contentious moment in Senegal’s political landscape. Critics, particularly from the Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour le Travail, l’Éthique et la Fraternité (PASTEF)—the party that won the 2024 presidential election—point to unresolved issues from his tenure, including the hidden public debt scandal and political unrest between 2021 and 2024. Though no legal proceedings currently target him, his legacy remains under scrutiny as Senegal pushes for accountability among former officials.

Just a year ago, even his former Prime Minister Amadou Ba—now a key figure in the new administration—faced the consequences of Sall’s policies. The timing of this visit, so swift and high-stakes, underscores its true purpose: a calculated move in a high-profile international race, with Senegal caught in the crossfire of expectations.