Senegal experienced a clear improvement in the global ranking of press freedom published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF)passing from 94th in 74th place In 2024, the APS learned this Friday.
On the African continent, the country is nevertheless positioned Behind several nationssuch as South Africa (27th), Namibia (28th), Cap-Vert (30th), Gabon (41st), Mauritania (50th), Ghana (52nd), Liberia (54th), Sierra Leone (56th), Gambia (58th), Côte d’Ivoire (64th), Congo (71st) Central African (72nd).
Sadibou MarongResponsible for RSF for Sub -Saharan Africa, praised this progression during a Press conference in Dakarbelieving that it is largely explained by the decline in the arrests and detentions of journalists in 2024. “A new dynamic has settled with the arrival of new authorities, which has established a certain climate of lull,” he said.
-He also pointed out that All journalists recently summoned were released without prosecutiona positive sign for the media situation in Senegal. Mr. Marong recalled that the President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had addressed, the May 3a letter to the press, in which he reaffirmed his commitment to press freedom.
However, RSF does not fail to draw attention to persistent economic difficulties that the Senegalese media go through. According to Marong, this reality is part of a global trend: “Today, in 48 countries where RSF intervenes, the media are strongly affected by a marked economic deterioration. »»
“It is a disturbing global trend, which impacts both the countries of the North and those of the South,” he concluded, calling for solutions for support the economic viability of the information sector.
