Senegal suspends extraditions, demands strict reciprocity from Paris.

During the examination of the Ministry of Justice’s 2026 budget bill at the National Assembly, the Minister of Justice, Ms. Yassine Fall, extensively explained Senegal’s extradition policy in response to a question from MP Fatou Cissé Goudiaby.

She announced a major decision: the suspension of all extraditions to France until Paris complies with the commitments under the bilateral agreement linking the two countries towards Dakar.

The minister recalled that Senegal and France are bound by a treaty framework, regularly invoked by French authorities. “France often asks Senegal to extradite its citizens. These citizens can be solely French, Franco-Senegalese, or of other nationalities,” she explained.

Between 2024 and 2025, Senegal received nearly nineteen extradition requests from Paris. Three individuals were extradited, four extraditions were refused, while ten other cases did not proceed.

While some refusals are based on the inviolable principle that Senegal does not extradite its own nationals, two cases highlight the tensions: “Two Senegalese nationals are currently in France, and France, up to now, has not sent them back to Senegal. Senegal has provided all necessary justifications and continues to request their extradition.”

Faced with this inaction, Ms. Fall believes Dakar has “no other choice” but to enforce the terms of the agreement. “Since this law is based on an agreement between two countries, a principle of reciprocity must respect the responsibilities of both Senegal and France,” she argued.

Immediate consequence: twelve individuals currently sought by Paris will no longer be extradited. The minister clarified, however, that these individuals will not remain free to move about in Senegal. “Of course, if these people are guilty of crimes, we arrest them. We are not like France; we do not leave them free. We arrest them, but we do not send them back to France.”

For reference, the Senegalese judiciary has issued an international arrest warrant for Madiambal Diagne and Doro Guèye, but French courts are still demanding additional information to be able to rule with full knowledge before any final decision, scheduled for February 3, 2026.

By suspending extraditions to France, Dakar intends to send “a clear message” to its partner: reciprocity will now be fully applied. Ms. Fall stated that she has provided all required clarifications on this case, emblematic of persistent tensions in judicial cooperation between the two countries.