The National Assembly of the Sénégal convened its first extraordinary session yesterday, marking a pivotal moment in the legislative agenda. During the opening proceedings, the Assembly’s president, Ousmane Sonko, announced the receipt of seven draft laws submitted by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. However, these initiatives will not be included in the current session’s agenda.
Draft laws blocked from debate
The seven draft laws submitted by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye cover a range of international agreements and conventions. Among them are proposals for ratifying the Marrakech Treaty to improve access to published works for visually impaired individuals, amendments to the International Civil Aviation Organization protocols, and military cooperation agreements with the Republic of Congo and the United Arab Emirates.
Additionally, the Assembly received proposals for extradition treaties with the United Arab Emirates and Italy, as well as agreements on prisoner transfers and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with the same countries. Despite their formal submission, Ousmane Sonko confirmed that these bills will not be prioritized in the current session.
Agenda set for urgent legislative matters
Instead, the extraordinary session will focus on three draft laws, two legislative proposals, and six inquiries into alleged mismanagement. Key priorities include the Labor Code, the Social Security Code, and measures to protect critical information infrastructure and digital security.
Two constitutional amendments will also be fast-tracked: one modifying Article 37 to strengthen presidential asset declarations, and another regulating special budgetary credits. These will be debated under urgent procedures at the request of their proponents.
Parliamentary inquiries take center stage
Six additional proposals aim to establish parliamentary commissions of inquiry. These will examine alleged irregularities in land management, state property sales, financial mechanisms like Total Return Swaps, and the One Student, One Laptop program. Other targets include tax revenue losses, exemptions, and fishing license issuance practices.
The Assembly’s leadership emphasized that the presidential bills may be revisited in future extraordinary sessions or during the regular legislative term, pending further evaluation.
