Bassirou Diomaye Faye: A president serving Senegalese culture and heritage
Since his accession to the presidency, Bassirou Diomaye Faye has affirmed his commitment to culture, the arts and national heritage. The Head of State intends to make Senegal a true African cultural hub, while promoting creative industries and books in all their dimensions.
The history of Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s accession to national sovereignty is fundamentally linked to culture. Elected in the first round on March 24, 2024, the new elected official will take the oath of office on April 2. After taking office, he will attend, seven months later, another equally important celebration: the opening of the 15th Biennial of Contemporary African Art in November 2024. During this occasion, he underlined the role of art as a lever of intellectual sovereignty and the valorization of African identity. His visit to the former Palace of Justice in Dakar demonstrated his support for the 58 international artists exhibited.
In his capacity as First Protector of Arts and Letters, the Head of State wanted to reassure cultural actors of his desire to ensure the development of the cultural economy to create jobs, particularly for young people and women, the exploitation of digital technology as a lever for dissemination, valorization and economic opportunities, and the strengthening of cultural decentralization in order to guarantee equitable access to culture throughout the territory. President Diomaye thus, upon coming to power, affirmed his support for this sector while emphasizing his desire to reposition Senegal as an African cultural hub. A strong signal, but above all symbolic and diplomatic.
National Book and Reading Forum, a first
The President of the Republic’s support for this sector was not only felt in terms of speeches. In 2025, it highlighted the strategic importance of books and reading in the construction of knowledge, the preservation of collective memory and the enhancement of national cultural heritage. It is in this wake that the first National Book and Reading Forum was held in October, a unique initiative which aims to breathe new energy into the sector. This forum aims to stimulate Senegalese literary creation, strengthen the book economy and highlight works produced in national languages.
Artists’ rights at the heart of concerns
The head of state did not stop there. In the Council of Ministers, last January, he gave instructions on the implementation of remuneration for private copying (RCP) in order to guarantee the protection of artists and the effective promotion of their rights. This orientation marks a “historic” turning point in the recognition and protection of the rights of creators, authors, performers and producers in Senegal, according to the Senegalese Society of Copyright and Neighboring Rights (SODAV). Always faithful to his cultural policy, last February, President Faye asked the government to “urgently”, with the involvement of experts, undertake the necessary research for the effective return of national cultural property to the historical heritage of Senegal.
Speaking at the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers, he also indicated to the government the urgency of developing a strategy for expanding and preserving sites, historical monuments and classified national properties, in particular the seven cultural properties listed as world heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In this dynamic, this month, the Canal Olympia Téranga cinema hall, located next to the Grand Théâtre national Doudou Ndiaye Coumba Rose and previously belonging to the French multinational Bolloré, was handed over to the State of Senegal, to the services of the Ministry of Culture, Crafts and Tourism.
The Head of State also requested the “consensual update”, before the end of 2026, of the directory and classification of tangible and intangible assets relating to historical heritage, as well as the organization of an international forum on the historical heritage of Senegal, next December, during a Council of Ministers.
Ministry that becomes one
Upon coming to power, President Diomaye appointed Khady Diene Gaye Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. An alloy which was far from delighting cultural actors. Some feared that the idea of grouping these sectors, although intended for coordination, could pose a problem, because each area is very broad and the missions are multiple, making it difficult to pay in-depth attention to culture or sport.
The decision was taken to separate Culture from the other portfolios on September 6, 2025 during a ministerial reshuffle. Culture is now managed in a dedicated ministry: the Ministry of Culture, Crafts and Tourism, with Amadou Ba at the helm. This aims to give more visibility and resources to culture. It also aims to better implement cultural policies, such as heritage preservation, support for creative industries and the organization of events, not to mention a budget and targeted projects for the cultural sector.
Arame NDIAYE
