Senegal: What strategies to tackle the debt? [Business Africa]

October 29, 2026 Village Reporter

Senegal is stepping up negotiations with international creditors to ease its public debt burden, estimated at nearly 130% of GDP in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

On October 15, the United States called for the debt restructuring process to be completed within a year. On October 23, creditor banks appointed their financial adviser, marking another step towards a potential agreement.

Fiscal pressures remain significant. Debt servicing costs are projected to rise to CFA 5.498 trillion in 2026, up from CFA 4.435 trillion in 2025 — an increase of 24%. A $2.2 billion financing programme is also under consideration with the IMF.

For Dakar, the challenge is to ease debt repayments while protecting public investment, businesses and households’ purchasing power.

Egypt: Diaspora remittances reach record levels

Remittances from Egyptians living abroad continue to provide vital support to the country’s economy. In the first eight months of 2026, inflows reached $33.9 billion, up 27.2% year-on-year.

The increase confirms a strong recovery following Egypt’s exchange-rate reform in March 2024. Remittances rose from $29.6 billion in 2024 to $41.5 billion in 2025, an increase of more than 40%.

Now one of Egypt’s leading sources of foreign currency, ahead of tourism and Suez Canal revenues, these inflows support household purchasing power and help bolster the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

According to United Nations estimates for 2024, approximately 4.82 million Egyptians live abroad, with nearly 82% residing in Asia, primarily in the Middle East.

Sustainable mobility: the Future of transport in africa

Abidjan hosted the second International Conference on Sustainable Mobility and Climate, bringing together more than 1,300 experts and policymakers from 40 countries to address Africa’s urban transport challenges.

Against a backdrop of rapid urbanisation and growing climate concerns, participants explored solutions including metro systems, bus rapid transit (BRT), electric vehicles, cycling and other forms of sustainable mobility, alongside digital innovations.

Ivorian Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé called for accessible public transport systems tailored to the continent’s economic realities.

The conference concluded with the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration on Sustainable Mobility, promoting better urban planning, integrated public transport networks and increased access to climate finance.

In a further development, the European Union provided €3 million in funding to Côte d’Ivoire to support the development of lagoon-based public transport.