With the first ordinary congress of the Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity (PASTEF) party scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2026, its Secretary-General, Ousmane Sonko, has released an extensive statement. This detailed declaration chronicles the movement’s journey and articulates the aspirations for the upcoming gathering.
In this important document, the former Prime Minister adopts a dual perspective: that of a founder recounting the party’s humble beginnings in 2014, established “without financial resources” or “influence networks,” and that of a strategist contemplating the crucial question of post-electoral victory. He asserts that “history demonstrates that political transformations can be absorbed if they lack a clear doctrine, robust organization, or a long-term strategy.”
Sonko’s statement outlines a narrative arc stretching from the widespread popular mobilizations of 2021-2024, which he characterizes as “one of the most intense periods in Senegal’s recent history,” to the June 2026 congress. He envisions this event as marking the pivotal shift “from a movement of rupture to a fully organized political party.” Delegates from both national sections and the diaspora will convene to endorse an ideological charter, a strategic orientation document, comprehensive theses on the party, and a general resolution.
The guiding principle of the text is the notion of sovereignty, which Sonko defines not merely as a slogan, but as “a method of governance.” This encompasses critical areas such as natural resources, budgetary decisions, agricultural policy, the educational system, and Senegal’s standing on the global stage. He further integrates a cultural dimension, advocating for the promotion of national languages, the reappropriation of history, mastery of technology, and a broader pan-African ambition: to intertwine national sovereignty with continent-wide economic and scientific integration.
Released amidst prevailing tensions within the executive branch and his own exclusion from the government, Sonko’s statement also serves as a clear signal: the founder of PASTEF intends to exert significant influence over the party’s ideological trajectory, irrespective of institutional challenges.
