Baye Mayoro Diop: The Prime Minister has no quality to talk about foreign policy

XALIMANEWS: The controversy surrounding Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s statements about American President Donald Trump continues to provoke strong reactions. In a new declaration, Baye Mayoro Diop, Director of Decentralized Cooperation (DIRCOD), criticized the head of government once again, strongly asserting that “diplomacy is the prerogative of the head of state”.

In a detailed argument, DIRCOD reminds that only the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, is authorized to define and lead Senegal’s foreign policy, alongside the Minister of Foreign Affairs and ambassadors acting under his authority. He therefore believes that Ousmane Sonko “has no qualification” to speak on foreign policy issues without express authorization.

According to Baye Mayoro Diop, the statements made by the Prime Minister in Dakar are of “unusual gravity” and indicate a confusion of roles at the highest level of the state. He warns of the consequences of such declarations, which could potentially weaken Senegal’s diplomatic coherence and expose the country to risks in its relations with international partners, notably the United States.

The Director of Decentralized Cooperation goes further by stating that these statements, made in the presence of American diplomats in Dakar, are likely to compromise strategic national interests. He emphasizes that this kind of statement, due to the institutional stature of its author, affects the image and credibility of an entire country.

A ministerial reprimand ignored

This latest criticism comes just days after an official reprimand. In a statement released on April 5th in Dakar, the supervisory ministry denounced statements of “particular seriousness”, calling them unacceptable and contrary to the obligations of responsibility, restraint, and loyalty inherent in the exercise of public functions.

Despite this reprimand, Baye Mayoro Diop appears to not comply and continues his criticisms, launching new “political missiles” against Ousmane Sonko. This stance raises questions about respect for administrative discipline and the consistency of institutional communication.

In his publication, DIRCOD also denounces a “progressive interference” by the Prime Minister in the diplomatic field, which he finds worrying. He mentions a discourse that he views as populist and warns of its potentially harmful effects on Senegal’s interests.

Going even further, Baye Mayoro Diop openly questions the intentions of the head of government, wondering if there might be a deliberate intention to compromise the bilateral relationship between Senegal and the United States, and even to “sabotage” the diplomacy conducted by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.