The contentious matter involving the Senegalese Rural Electrification Agency (ASER) and the Spanish firm AEE Power has once again seized the spotlight in Dakar’s political discourse. Thierno Alassane Sall, who leads La République des valeurs party and serves as a deputy in the National Assembly, has publicly accused the ruling Pastef party of exhibiting a double standard concerning this rural electrification contract. This agreement has become a focal point of contention between the Senegalese executive branch and a segment of the political class. The former Minister of Energy did not shy away from using the term “duplicity,” a word rarely heard in the local parliamentary arena, to describe Pastef’s position.
A rural electrification contract becomes a state affair
The contract between ASER and AEE Power encompasses an extensive initiative to electrify numerous Senegalese villages, aiming to connect thousands of communities to the national grid. For several months, the precise execution of this project, the actual disbursements made, and the real-world deliveries have faced intense public scrutiny. The dispute gained significant political traction when key figures within Pastef, prior to their ascent to power, had highlighted this very case as a prime example of poor governance under the previous administration.
However, now in positions of authority, these same individuals find themselves tasked with managing the inherited contractual obligations and upholding the Senegalese State’s commitments to its Spanish partner. It is precisely this shift in stance that Thierno Alassane Sall seeks to underscore. In his view, the current majority’s approach contradicts the positions articulated during the electoral campaign and in the initial weeks following the change in power.
Thierno alassane sall’s critique of pastef
Known for his uncompromising stance on energy-related matters, the former minister asserts that the party, led by Ousmane Sonko and supported by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, can no longer adopt the posture of an opposition force. He points to a clear inconsistency between their promises of systematic audits for contracts deemed opaque and the cautious approach now taken regarding AEE Power. The deputy suggests that this differential treatment of inherited files could undermine the credibility of the