Our Dakar correspondent reports

Ousmane Sonko has made it clear there will be no moratorium on enforcing Senegal’s anti-homosexuality laws, vowing to curb what he calls the « spread » of same-sex relations and promising the judiciary will pursue all cases to the fullest extent. « We won’t hide the big fish, » he declared, as multiple figures linked to the Prime Minister’s office have been detained on suspicion of homosexuality.

His stance remains uncompromising, despite over a hundred arrests in the past three months for « unnatural acts, » some of which include allegations of intentional HIV transmission. Earlier this week, African intellectuals published an open letter calling for a temporary halt to the law’s enforcement.

« We reject western moral policing »

Sonko doubled down on his position, insisting Senegal « has no lessons to learn » from western nations. He condemned what he described as « western tyranny, » accusing foreign powers of attempting to « impose homosexuality » globally through media control.

Addressing the nation’s economic challenges, the Prime Minister acknowledged the « dire state of Senegal’s finances, » with public debt nearing 119% of GDP. Yet he defended his economic recovery plan, highlighting improved tax collection as a key revenue driver.

The Finance Minister, Cheikh Diba, sought to ease concerns, stating that debt management is « under active treatment. » He also confirmed that negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will resume the week of June 8, with a framework agreement expected by June 30. Talks stalled in October 2025 due to disagreements over whether Senegal’s debt should be restructured.