Cheikh Niang: “There is no contradiction between asserted sovereignty and assumed multilateralism” January 26, 2026
The Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, Cheikh Niang, returns, in this interview, to his first steps since his appointment in September 2024. He stressed that “good neighborly diplomacy is a strategic imperative because the stability of Senegal is inseparable from that of its regional environment”. Speaking about the ECOWAS Commission assigned to Senegal, Mr. Niang is of the opinion that its future president must be a major personality, with solid regional experience, a great sense of diplomacy, recognized moral authority and a proven ability to bring people together.
You are a career diplomat. What does this function mean to you?
This function represents above all a chance to serve the State at a strategic level, but also an increased responsibility. Being Minister of Foreign Affairs is not only representing Senegal abroad, it is carrying, with rigor and humility, the voice of a people, its aspirations, its dignity and its sovereignty.
As a career diplomat, I approach this role with a sense of the continuity of the State, respect for our diplomatic traditions and a constant requirement to adapt to the profound changes in the contemporary world.
Senegalese diplomacy is based on good neighborliness. What actions are you taking to strengthen cooperation with neighboring countries?
Good neighborliness is not a slogan, it is a strategic imperative. Since taking office, I have engaged in sustained political dialogue with all of our immediate neighbors, prioritizing consultation, prevention of tensions and cross-border cooperation.
We are working to strengthen existing mechanisms in the areas of security, mobility of people, trade and concerted management of common resources. The stability of Senegal is inseparable from that of its regional environment.
How to reconcile sovereignty and multilateralism?
There is no contradiction between asserted sovereignty and assumed multilateralism. Sovereignism, as advocated by the Senegalese authorities, is responsible, open and non-confrontational.
It is about defending our vital interests, our decision-making autonomy and our national priorities while remaining a credible actor in multilateralism. Senegal believes in dialogue, common rules and international cooperation, provided that they are fair, inclusive and respectful of the choices of people.
How does Senegal intend to contribute to the reform of global governance?
Senegal calls for more representative and fairer global governance, particularly within major international institutions. We are actively working for the reform of the United Nations Security Council, for better consideration of Africa in global decision-making bodies and for a renewed multilateralism oriented towards results and human development. Our diplomacy is one of proposition, not of sterile contestation.
What is Senegal’s position on the situation in Guinea-Bissau?
Senegal remains deeply committed to respect for constitutional order and institutional stability in the community space.
Within the framework of ECOWAS, we favor an approach based on dialogue, mediation and support, without any complacency. The objective remains the same: a rapid, consensual and lasting return to constitutional legality, in the primary interest of the Guinea-Bissau people.
What was the role of Senegalese diplomacy in assuming the presidency of the ECOWAS Commission?
This designation is the result of thoughtful, patient and meticulous diplomatic work. It reflects the confidence placed in Senegal, its political stability, its regional credibility and its constant commitment to regional integration. It is not an individual victory, but a collective recognition.
What profile to lead the ECOWAS Commission?
The future president of the Commission must be a major personality, with solid regional experience, a great sense of diplomacy, recognized moral authority and a proven ability to bring people together. He will have to combine strategic vision, independence of mind and a keen sense of community interest, in a complex and demanding regional context.
What diplomacy around the 2026 Youth Olympic Games?
The Youth Olympic Games represent an exceptional opportunity for influential diplomacy. Senegal intends to make it a showcase of its hospitality, its youth, its creativity and its organizational capacity. It is a diplomacy of influence, intercultural dialogue and a positive image serving the attractiveness of the country.
What role for diplomacy after the Can won in Morocco?
Sport, when properly understood, is a factor in bringing people together. The role of diplomacy is to soothe, contextualize and preserve what unites beyond the emotion of the moment. Senegal and Morocco maintain centuries-old and strategic relations. Sports passion cannot, under any circumstances, alter such a solid friendship; any deviation is to be banned.
Interview conducted by Oumar KANDÉ
