Past ruling party Alliance for the Republic (APR) has taken a stand to challenge Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s recent statements regarding the management of gas resources and the country’s economic situation. At a press conference, party officials denounced what they called “falsehoods” aimed at tarnishing the record of former President Macky Sall’s regime.
From the outset, APR officials reiterated that Senegal possesses significant gas potential capable of sustainably transforming its economy and strengthening its energy sovereignty. However, they insisted, this sovereignty cannot be built through “political rhetoric or pronouncements detached from reality.”
The APR reacted particularly strongly to the Prime Minister’s remarks concerning the Yakkar-Teranga gas project. According to the party, it is inaccurate to claim that the Senegalese state took over this project following renegotiation.
According to APR officials, the oil companies involved actually decided to withdraw due to a lack of partners to develop the project. The British major BP had already focused on developing the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, in which several billion dollars have been invested. Subsequently, Kosmos Energy also reportedly left the project after failing to find new partners.
“The block is simply becoming available again. There was no renegotiation,” the party officials maintained.
According to them, the challenge for Senegal now is to attract a major oil company capable of investing approximately five billion dollars to develop the project, with a model combining supply to the domestic market and the export of liquefied natural gas.
Beyond these sectoral issues, the APR has painted a critical picture of the current economic situation. According to the party, several indicators point to a decline in salaried employment and a weakening of the industrial base, particularly in manufacturing and services.
APR officials believe that the current political climate and tensions surrounding governance are contributing to an environment of uncertainty that could discourage investors.
“Every job lost weakens a family, and every industry that disappears reduces the country’s capacity to create value,” they stated.
The APR is therefore calling for governance focused on institutional stability, economic confidence, and the sustainable development of the country’s natural resources.
Seneweb
