Senegal’s 2025 UEMOA reform setback: an in-depth analysis

Senegal experienced a minor decline in 2025 concerning the implementation of UEMOA’s community reforms, policies, programs, and projects, despite official statements indicating generally satisfactory overall results.

During the political phase of the 11th Annual Review of UEMOA’s community reforms, policies, programs, and projects, hosted in Senegal, it was formally announced that the average implementation rate for 2025 stood at 76.45%, a decrease of 2.14 percentage points from 78.59% in 2024. This year’s assessment encompassed 145 reforms, an increase from 132 in the previous review.

These findings were presented following discussions that brought together Senegalese state authorities and the UEMOA Commission. The proceedings were chaired by Minister of Finance and Budget, Cheikh Diba, alongside Abdoulaye Diop, the President of the UEMOA Commission.

Cheikh Diba attributed this decline primarily to setbacks observed in the execution of reforms related to economic governance and convergence, which saw a 1.3 percentage point reduction, as well as in sectoral reforms, registering a more significant drop of 6.03 points. However, this underperformance was partially offset by advancements in the common market, which improved by 0.91 points.

The Minister further elaborated that challenges in economic governance and convergence were largely due to the delayed submission of the 2024 Single Window for Financial Statements (GUDEF) report to the UEMOA Commission during the technical review phase.

Despite this overall regression, several sectors demonstrated positive momentum. Notable progress was recorded in the harmonization of the legal, accounting, and statistical frameworks for public finances, with an increase of 1.83 percentage points. The customs union advanced by 4.55 points, while the agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and environment sectors collectively saw a rise of 2.12 points. Human and social development made significant strides, gaining 6.58 points, and energy and mining sectors improved by 3.33 points.

Cheikh Diba emphasized that the most impactful outcomes within structural reforms were particularly evident in culture, tourism, crafts, quality standards, and the overall business climate.

Commitments to course correction announced

For the Minister of Finance and Budget, these results necessitate immediate attention and corrective actions. The Senegalese government has thus committed to implementing the necessary measures to solidify existing achievements, enhance performance, and progressively address the identified shortcomings.

He underscored that substantial efforts are still required, particularly in finalizing document validation processes, providing essential supporting documentation, and ensuring the effective execution and monitoring of community programs and projects.

The political phase of this review successfully validated the outcomes from the technical phase and reinforced the commitment of the Senegalese administration and its highest authorities to the application of community reforms.

Cheikh Diba believes that, despite remaining areas for improvement, these results align with a broader positive trend observed across UEMOA member states, where significant progress in reform implementation has also been noted.

The Minister reiterated that consolidating regional integration remains a paramount priority for Senegal. In this light, the conclusions of this political phase will be presented to Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko during an upcoming meeting with the President of the UEMOA Commission.