The announcement made yesterday in the Senegalese Council of Ministers by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, of the official visit of his Mauritanian counterpart Moctar Ould Diay, scheduled from November 16 to 18, 2025 in Dakar, carries significant strategic importance. This meeting between two rising figures in West African political renewal goes beyond the protocol framework: it marks the common desire to redefine the basis of a more balanced cooperation between neighboring states linked by history, geography, and resources.

This visit comes at a time when both countries seek to strengthen their energy and maritime partnerships, particularly around the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project, located at the Senegalese-Mauritanian maritime border. Discussions are expected to focus on the shared governance of these resources, as well as on cross-border security and migration management, all topics where bilateral consultation is necessary.

Politically, the meeting between Sonko and Ould Diay could symbolize a new era in regional diplomacy. Both embody a generation of leaders advocating for economic sovereignty and transparency in public management. This ideological convergence could pave the way for a more dynamic Dakar-Nouakchott axis, based on mutual interests and a renewed Pan-African discourse.

Senegalese diplomacy seems to want to assert itself in a West Africa in transition. Following the Mauritanian visit, Dakar will host a delegation from Sierra Leone to finalize agreements in the mining and energy sectors. These are all signals of a proactive economic diplomacy, in line with the vision of rupture claimed by Ousmane Sonko.