President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal met with European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday, marking the first visit by a European leader since Faye’s inauguration last month.
The newly elected Senegalese head of state and the European Union official discussed ways to deepen cooperation between Senegal and the EU during their talks in Dakar, according to a statement from Faye’s office.
“With President Charles Michel, the first European leader I have received since taking office, we discussed the varied cooperation between Senegal and the European Union, and agreed to work together to strengthen it through a rethought approach capable of supporting our objectives,” President Faye said.
“Together, we want to do more and better in the Euro-Senegalese relationship.”
Faye, who took office on April 2nd after winning March elections, emphasized that both sides want “to do more and better” to enhance the partnership between Senegal and the European Union going forward.
The two leaders did not provide specific details on new policies or initiatives that may come from their talks. However, areas of mutual interest include economic development, security, migration, and environmental issues affecting the West African region.
Senegal, a longtime democracy and regional leader, has been a key partner for Europe. The EU is one of Senegal’s largest trade partners and sources of development aid and investment.
Tuesday’s meeting allowed the newly elected Faye to establish rapport with the EU’s leadership after taking over from former president Macky Sall. Deepening ties with regional bodies like the EU is expected to be a priority for his administration.
