Former Senegalese President Macky Sall held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday, June 2, in a meeting centred on his campaign for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.
Although the discussion was not listed on the French president’s official agenda, Sall later publicised the meeting on social media on Wednesday, June 3, sharing a photograph of the two leaders shaking hands inside the Élysée.
In his post, Sall thanked Macron for what he described as a “warm welcome and fruitful exchanges,” adding that they shared a vision for “an ambitious, reformed and revitalised UN” capable of meeting global expectations.
The former Senegalese leader, who has already been heard by the UN General Assembly as part of his candidacy process, has outlined proposals focused on reforming the organisation through rationalization, simplification and improved efficiency. The Élysée has not commented on the meeting or on whether France intends to support Sall’s bid. However, the encounter underscores the continued cordial relations between Macron and Sall.
Sall is pursuing his campaign without official backing from Senegal. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has previously stated that Dakar is maintaining a neutral position and was not formally engaged in the candidacy process.
The meeting has generated discussion in Senegal, where supporters of Sall have interpreted it as a sign of growing international momentum for his bid. Some local commentary has suggested that perceived French goodwill could be an advantage in the race to succeed UN Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends in 2026 ahead of the selection of his successor.