Aminata Touré Defends Special Funds Use in Casamance: Rejects Parliamentary Control

• Aminata Touré, the High Representative of the President of Senegal, defended the use of special funds in Casamance, arguing they allow states to respond to specific situations.
• She rejected direct parliamentary control over these funds, citing a tradition of solidarity associated with national stability.
• Touré acknowledged a disagreement with Ousmane Sonko, the current Prime Minister of Senegal, and questioned him about 1.7 billion in special funds.
• Decree No. 2004-1186 created the Peace Program in Casamance, which has been at the center of controversy over special fund management.

According to her, preventing the President from supporting individuals or responding to particular situations would be contrary to a tradition of solidarity associated with national stability.

Aminata Touré, the former Prime Minister of Senegal and currently the High Representative of the President of Senegal, has defended the use of special funds in Casamance during a press conference with Kiiraay Les Patriotes Républicains. She argued that these resources allow states to respond to specific situations and rejected the idea of direct parliamentary control over their use. According to her, preventing the President from supporting individuals or responding to particular situations would be contrary to a tradition of solidarity associated with national stability. Touré also acknowledged a disagreement with Ousmane Sonko, the current Prime Minister of Senegal, criticizing him for a disconnect between his public statements and certain decisions made in his official capacity. She claimed that this situation is unique and pointed out that she herself did not benefit from special funds, while questioning Sonko about a sum of 1.7 billion.

The controversy surrounding the use of special funds in Senegal has its roots in Decree No. 2004-1186, which created the Peace Program in Casamance. According to Aminata Touré's interpretation, these resources were managed by the Director General and Equipment and benefited from specific modalities for mobilization and justification. She also claimed that a responsible person had taken funds intended for peace management in Casamance to finance the rehabilitation of an administrative building, presenting this as a diversion of special funds without clearly identifying the individual involved. Touré associated these rules with a derogatory regime for justifying expenses linked to defense needs and operations.

Aminata Touré's comments on the presidential power to support individuals or respond to specific situations have significant implications for lawyers and compliance professionals. The use of special funds in Senegal, particularly in light of Decree No. 2004-1186, raises potential compliance exposures related to the management of these resources. As Touré emphasized the importance of solidarity and national stability, her argument highlights the need for careful consideration of the presidential power to intervene in specific situations. This debate also underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in the use of special funds.

Lawyers should watch for potential compliance exposures related to the use of special funds in Senegal, particularly in light of Aminata Touré's comments on the presidential power to support individuals or respond to specific situations.

Source: Original reporting via Fonds spéciaux : Aminata Touré invoque le décret sur la paix en Casamance