Against a backdrop of high tension in Senegal and following attacks on some of its diplomatic representations abroad, the Senegalese government announced on Tuesday the provisional closure of its consulates general abroad.
In a statement posted on social networks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “This precautionary measure follows a series of recent attacks on Senegal’s diplomatic and consular missions abroad”, notably in Paris, Bordeaux, Milan, and New York.
The same source revealed that there had been serious damage as a result of these attacks, particularly in Milan where “the machines for producing passports and identity cards were destroyed”, adding that these consulates would be reopened once “the material and security conditions allow”.
Between the 1st and 3rd of June, Senegal faced its worst trouble in years following the sentencing of opposition politician Ousmane Sonko to two years imprisonment in a vice scandal, a sentence that disqualifies him from standing in the 2024 presidential election.
The conviction sparked clashes that left at least 16 people dead and caused considerable damage. Demonstrations were organized abroad by the Senegalese diaspora.
According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the number of Senegalese emigrants worldwide is estimated at 700,000 in 2020, including around 400,000 in OECD countries.