Senegal plays an important mediating role in the sub-region. This is the opinion of Babacar Sané Ba, an expert in economic diplomacy. The guest on Seneweb Eco on Sunday, January 11, 2026, emphasized the importance of Senegal's role in the stability and integration of the West African sub-region. According to him, the country must combine dialogue, pragmatism, and responsibility to preserve the cohesion of ECOWAS. "Senegal is a great country of diplomacy. We have very accomplished diplomats in this country. When the President of the Republic makes his choice, all of Senegal must, as one, support that choice, because it will be Senegal's candidate," he declared.

For Babacar Sané Ba, Senegal must engage in constructive dialogue with the states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), while keeping these countries "within the community." "Your alliance for Sahelian states is very good; maintain this alliance for security issues in the Sahel, but remain within the community," he explains. "Diplomacy isn't about negotiating and telling someone: 'You're not going to do everything you want. Do what I want.' That's not what it's about. Diplomacy also involves making concessions."

He also criticized certain past sanctions, such as the blockade imposed on Mali, which have penalized the Senegalese economy. "People didn't understand; Mali is our biggest trading partner. When Abuja imposed a blockade, it was our economy that suffered," he stated.

Security and stability, prerequisites for any integration

On the issue of a single currency in the ECOWAS region, the expert emphasizes that security stability is the essential condition for regional credibility and any common monetary initiative. "A common currency cannot operate in a space where there is no security. A currency is first and foremost a matter of trust," asserts Babacar Sané Ba, who thus advocates for an active role for Senegal in supporting countries facing security crises, particularly in the Sahel and Central Africa. "We need to help these countries, to discuss, to open the door, and if tomorrow the ACDA agrees... we can combine the Alliance of Sahel States with regional integration," he suggests.