This Sunday, Ndéye Fatou Blondin Diop, telecommunications engineer and former Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, was the guest of Journal du Dimanche (JDD) on Iradio. As a consultant, she took the time to review national news, in particular by looking at the recent downward revision of Senegal’s credit rating by Moody’s, following the increase in the budget deficit and of the debt level announced by the government on September 26.
Ndéye Fatou Blondin Diop said that despite the concerns raised by this drop in rating, there is still hope for Senegal. “We are far from a failed state,” she said. This declaration comes in a context where the transparency of economic figures is essential to maintain the confidence of citizens and investors. She stressed that “the duty of truth has been lacking in Senegal for a very long time”, referring to countries like Greece, which hid financial data and had to suffer the consequences.
The consultant also mentioned the importance of giving realistic figures regarding public debt. “The authorities, currently, have signed a pact of honesty with the populations and are on this path,” she added. According to her, the presentation of a faithful image of the economic situation should not be seen as a handicap, but as a step towards better governance.
Concerning the double-digit growth put forward by the old regime, Ndéye Fatou Blondin Diop regretted that extrapolations were made on these figures. “We tend to be shocked when we hear the truth because we are used to hearing lies,” she observed. She clarified that the positive figures announced are not reflected in the daily lives of Senegalese people, a reality which can be explained by the publication of inaccurate data.
Despite these challenges, Ndéye Fatou Blondin Diop remains optimistic about the future of Senegal. “We have confidence because there are new resources that will have an impact. The confidence that our country inspires in donors can encourage investments,” she explained. She concluded by emphasizing that, unlike previous periods where the question of Senegal’s economic survival was at stake, the country has managed to navigate through its challenges and establish renewed governance, notably through the involvement of young leaders. .
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