Democratic and Patriotic Reflection Framework (CRDP-50) has sent an open letter to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which publishes the annual Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG). In it, the group expresses its serious concern about the credibility of this index, in light of recent revelations by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the existence of hidden debt incurred under the presidency of Macky Sall.

“Since the publication of recent analyses by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), confirming the existence of a hidden debt incurred under the leadership of Mr Macky Sall, a wave of shock has swept through the national and international community. This financial scandal of unprecedented institutional gravity reveals budgetary opacity and a deliberate concealment of financial commitments by the State of Senegal. These practices violate the basic principles of good economic governance that your foundation promotes: transparency, accountability and public integrity.

However, Senegal, under the administration of Mr Macky Sall, has long been cited in the reports of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation as a model of governance in West Africa. This recognition now appears to be in contradiction with the facts documented today. It creates a moral dissonance between the values of your institution and the reality of the hidden government practices that have heavily mortgaged our country’s public finances,” reads the CRDP letter.

The movement points out that, under the leadership of Macky Sall, Senegal had often been cited by the foundation as a model of governance in West Africa.

But, according to the CRDP, the facts now documented call this recognition into question and call for a reassessment of the country’s ranking.

“There is a moral dissonance between the values defended by the foundation and the reality of government practices that have heavily mortgaged Senegal’s public finances,” the press release laments.

In light of all this, the CRDP invites the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to re-evaluate Senegal’s rating for the period corresponding to the presidency of Mr Macky Sall; to exclude the latter from any distinction or mention within the Ibrahim Index in order to preserve the credibility and rigour of this international reference in matters of governance.

The collective believes that by maintaining positive assessments of a leader “implicated in the concealment of public debts,” the foundation risks endorsing a model that is contrary to its founding principles.

• A Tell Media / By Khady Ndoye / Courtesy of Mo Ibrahim Foundation