Macky Sall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Macky Sall
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| 𞤃𞤢𞤳𞤭 𞤅𞤢𞤤 | |
Sall in 2020
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| 4th President of Senegal | |
| In office 2 April 2012 – 2 April 2024 |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | Abdoulaye Wade |
| Succeeded by | Bassirou Diomaye Faye |
| 8th Prime Minister of Senegal | |
| In office 21 July 2004 – 19 June 2007 |
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| President | Abdoulaye Wade |
| Preceded by | Idrissa Seck |
| Succeeded by | Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré |
| President of the National Assembly | |
| In office 20 June 2007 – 9 November 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Pape Diop |
| Succeeded by | Mamadou Seck |
| Mayor of Fatick | |
| In office 1 April 2009 – 2 April 2012 |
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| Deputy | Famara Sarr |
| Preceded by | Doudou Ngom |
| Succeeded by | Famara Sarr |
| In office 1 June 2002 – 9 November 2008 |
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| Deputy | Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye |
| Preceded by | Doudou Ngom |
| Succeeded by | Doudou Ngom |
| 20th Chairperson of the African Union | |
| In office 5 February 2022 – 18 February 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Félix Tshisekedi |
| Succeeded by | Azali Assoumani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 December 1961 Fatick, Senegal |
| Political party | Senegalese Democratic Party (Late 1980s–2008) Alliance for the Republic (2008–present) |
| Spouse | Marieme Faye Sall |
| Alma mater | Cheikh Anta Diop University Institute of French Petroleum |
Macky Sall (born 11 December 1961) is a Senegalese politician. He served as the fourth president of Senegal from 2012 to 2024. Before becoming president, he held several important roles. He was the prime minister from 2004 to 2007. He also served as the president of the National Assembly from 2007 to 2008.
Sall was also the Mayor of Fatick from 2002 to 2008 and again from 2009 to 2012. He was a member of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) for a long time. After some disagreements with President Abdoulaye Wade, he left the PDS. He then started his own political party, the Alliance for the Republic (APR).
In the 2012 Senegalese presidential election, Sall came in second in the first round. However, he gained support from other opposition candidates. He then won against Wade in the second round of voting on 25 March 2012. He is the first president of Senegal who was born after the country gained independence from France.
During Sall's time as president, Senegal saw many new buildings and projects. These included a new airport, highways, and express trains. The country's economy also grew steadily. Internationally, he was praised for his efforts to help other African nations. He worked to solve conflicts, like the one in Senegal's Casamance region. He also played a key role in helping to remove a leader in neighboring Gambia in 2017. However, at home, Sall faced criticism for how he handled political disagreements and election processes, which led to protests.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Macky Sall was one of five children. His father, Amadou Abdoul Sall, worked for the state. His mother, Coumba Thimbo, sold peanuts. Macky Sall grew up in different parts of Senegal, including Fatick, Futa Tooro, and Mboro.
His father was part of the Socialist Party of Senegal. However, as a student, Macky Sall became interested in different political ideas. He studied at the University of Dakar. He then trained to be a geological engineer in Paris. He is a member of several groups for geologists.
He met his wife, Mariéme Faye Sall, in 1992. She was a high school student at the time.
Beginning a Political Career
Sall joined the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) in the late 1980s. He quickly became an important member. He helped with the "Sopi" campaign. This campaign helped Abdoulaye Wade become president in the 2000 Senegalese presidential election.
From 2000 to 2003, Sall was a special advisor to President Wade on energy and mines. He also led the national petroleum company, PETROSEN. Later, he became a Minister, in charge of mines, energy, and water. In 2002, he also became the Mayor of Fatick. In 2003, he became the Minister of State for the Interior and a government spokesperson.
Serving as Prime Minister
On 21 July 2004, President Wade chose Macky Sall to be the prime minister. Sall was not very well known at that time. He made a strong first impression with his plans for the country.
Sall led President Wade's re-election campaign in 2007. Wade won the election. Sall continued as prime minister until 19 June 2007. He was the longest-serving prime minister under President Wade. During his time, he helped start big projects. These included a new motorway and the Blaise Diagne International Airport.
Leading the National Assembly
After leaving the prime minister role, Sall was elected to the National Assembly in June 2007. On 20 June 2007, he became the President of the National Assembly. He was the only candidate and received many votes.
Later in 2007, Sall and President Wade had disagreements. Sall asked questions about projects led by Wade's son, Karim Wade. This caused tension between Sall and Wade's supporters. In November 2008, Sall was removed from his position as President of the National Assembly. He then announced he was leaving the PDS. He also said he would create a new political party.
In Opposition
On 1 December 2008, Sall started his new party, the Alliance for the Republic–Yaakaar (APR). In March 2009, local elections were held. Sall was re-elected as the Mayor of Fatick in April 2009. His new party, APR, also won in other areas.
Sall prepared to run in the 2012 Senegalese presidential election. He traveled across Senegal and met with Senegalese people living abroad. He gained popularity, especially in Dakar.
Presidency
First Term as President
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In the 2012 presidential elections, Sall ran with the slogan "The Path of Real Development." He campaigned widely. In the first round of the election, Sall received 26.5% of the votes, while Wade got 34.8%. This meant a second round of voting was needed.
For the second round, Sall got support from other candidates. He formed a group called "Benno Bokk Yakkar," which means "United in the Same Hope." He promised to change the presidential term from seven years back to five years. He also said no leader could serve more than two terms. On 25 March 2012, Sall won the election with 65.8% of the votes.
Sall became the fourth President of Senegal on 2 April 2012. The next day, he chose Abdoul Mbaye as his prime minister. Sall promised to reduce government spending. He also announced plans to review his predecessor's administration. His government lowered the prices of oil, rice, and sugar to help people. They also increased retirement payments and helped farmers.
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In foreign policy, Sall worked to strengthen Senegal's relationships with countries like Morocco, Mauritania, and the Gambia. In February 2013, Sall secured $7.5 billion for his "Emergent Senegal" plan. This plan aimed to make Senegal an emerging economy by 2035. It focused on investments in farming, buildings, and tourism.
In September 2013, Sall replaced Prime Minister Mbaye with Aminata Touré. Then, in July 2014, he appointed Mohammed Dionne as prime minister.
Peace in the Casamance region was very important to Sall. This region had faced conflict for many years. In May 2014, one of the leaders of the conflict group, Salif Sadio, declared a cease-fire after talks with Sall.
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In January 2016, Sall supported changes to the constitution. These changes would limit presidents to two terms and reduce the term length from seven to five years. This was part of his promise from the 2012 election. The changes were approved in a public vote on 20 March 2016.
Second Term as President
In the 2019 Senegalese presidential election, Sall was re-elected with 58% of the votes. In June 2020, he self-isolated after being exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Sall was chosen to be the Chairperson of the African Union for 2022. His term began on 5 February 2022.
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On 3 June 2022, Sall met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia. They discussed grain deliveries to Africa. Sall explained that African countries were affected by the economic crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine. He also mentioned that banking restrictions were making it hard for African countries to pay for food and fertilizers from Russia.
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In 2021, there were protests against Sall's government. In December 2022, he attended the United States–Africa Leaders Summit 2022 in Washington, D.C. He met with US President Joe Biden. In July 2023, he attended the Russia–Africa Summit in Saint Petersburg.
Election Postponement and Resolution
On 3 February 2024, President Sall ordered the postponement of the presidential election. He mentioned concerns about the election process and potential issues. This was the first time a presidential election had been postponed in Senegal's history.
Protests followed this decision. Police used tear gas to break up demonstrations. Some opposition figures were detained. Mobile internet access was also shut off. Sadly, some people died during these protests.
On 15 February, Senegal's Constitutional Council ruled that the postponement was against the constitution. They ordered the election to be held as soon as possible. President Sall stated he would follow the court's decision. He also said he would leave office on 2 April 2024, as planned. He suggested talks with political leaders to set a new election date.
On 6 March, the government set the first round of elections for 24 March. Macky Sall replaced his prime minister, Amadou Ba, with Sidiki Kaba. The election was won by opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Sall left office at the end of his term on 2 April 2024.
After the Presidency
After leaving office, Macky Sall was named a leading candidate for the opposition in the 2024 Senegalese parliamentary election, which was scheduled for 17 November 2024. In January 2025, he started a consulting company in Morocco, where he lives.
Political Views
Foreign Policy
In 2015, Sall sent Senegalese troops to join a Saudi Arabian-led effort in Yemen. This was seen as a way to improve relations between Saudi Arabia and Senegal. In January 2017, Sall also sent troops to help in a military effort in Gambia.
Under Sall, Senegal took a neutral stance on the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Senegal did not vote on many United Nations resolutions about the conflict. Sall met with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In August 2023, Sall announced that Senegalese troops would join any ECOWAS intervention in Niger. This was in response to the 2023 Nigerien crisis.
Many world leaders have met Macky Sall in Senegal. These include former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former U.S President Barack Obama, and former French President François Hollande.
Human Rights
Sall says he supports women's rights. He has also defended Senegal's laws on homosexuality. He stated that Senegal is not ready to change these laws, even though some world leaders have urged him to do so. He insisted that he and the Senegalese people are tolerant.
Sall's popularity in Senegal decreased after protests in March 2021.
Religion
Sall is a Muslim. He supports religious freedom and has met Pope Francis. He is against extreme forms of Islam and supports a "tolerant Islam."
Personal Life
Sall is married to Marème Faye Sall. They have three children: two sons and one daughter.
Macky Sall can speak five languages. He speaks three local Senegalese languages: Pulaar, Wolof, and Serer. He also speaks two European languages: French and English.
Honors and Achievements
National Honors
Senegal:
Grand Master (and Grand Cross) of the National Order of the Lion
Grand Master (and Grand Cross) of the National Order of Merit
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Foreign Honors
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 Benin |
Grand Cross of the National Order of Benin |
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 Cape Verde |
Grand Cross of Amílcar Cabral Order |
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 France |
Grand Officier National Order of Legion of Honour |
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 Gambia |
Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of The Gambia |
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 Ivory Coast |
Grand Cross of the National Order of the Ivory Coast |
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 Luxembourg |
Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau |
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 Mauritania |
Grand Cordon of the National Order of Merit (Mauritania) |
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 Morocco |
Grand Collar of the Order of Muhammad |
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 Portugal |
Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry |
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 Quebec |
Grand Cross of the Order of La Pléiade |
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 Saudi Arabia |
Chain of the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud |
Other Achievements
President Sall received the 2020 Sunhak Peace Prize. This was for successfully shortening the presidential term and improving the economy. He also received the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award in 2022.
In 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Sall as a Special Envoy for the Paris Pact for People and the Planet. He left this position in October 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Macky Sall para niños
