{"id":3317,"date":"2025-09-25T21:35:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T21:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/?p=3317"},"modified":"2025-09-26T15:37:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T15:37:12","slug":"address-by-h-e-president-macky-sall-on-the-occasion-of-the-presentation-of-his-book-africa-leading-from-the-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/address-by-h-e-president-macky-sall-on-the-occasion-of-the-presentation-of-his-book-africa-leading-from-the-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Discours de S.E. le Pr\u00e9sident Macky Sall \u00e0 l\u2019occasion de la pr\u00e9sentation de son livre \u00ab L\u2019Afrique au c\u0153ur \u00bb"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York, 24 septembre 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excellencies:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dear Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Dear sister Ameenah Gurib-Fakin, former President of Mauritius,
Dear friend Charles Michel, former President of the European Council,
Dear brother Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria\u2019s Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Dear brother Moussa Faki Mahamat, Special Envoy for the 4P (the Pact for Prosperity, People and the Planet), former Chairperson of the African Union Commission,
My dear wife Mar\u00e8me and family,
Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests,
All protocols observed,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you all for graciously accepting my invitation. I am deeply grateful to each of you for taking the time to be here.

Africa stands at the crossroads.

The world is at the crossroads.

Thank you for being here today, to stand with Africa.

With this new book, I share my vision directly from the heart.

I know all of you who believe in Africa. You also lead from the heart.

Because when we do, we move forward for the people of Africa.

The potential of our continent is incomparable.

And if we do lead from the heart, Africa\u2019s bright future becomes unstoppable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would first like to place Africa at Heart in its historical context to help explain its purpose and its global resonance.

I belong to a generation of Africans born after independence, at the end of a long and painful cycle of colonial domination.

Our generation was nourished by the struggle of our illustrious pioneers, whom Amadou Hamp\u00e2t\u00e9 B\u00e2 called \u201cthe Eldest Sons of the 20th Century in Africa.\u201d

Their fight for Africa\u2019s independence and for the recognition of its rightful place in the community of nations left a lasting impression on us and inspired us. It was this intellectual, political, and trade union ferment that prepared me for, and led me into, politics. That is the raison d\u2019\u00eatre of my book.

Africa at Heart is essentially focused on the challenges of the continent and the means to address them in a rapidly changing global context. It is neither a complaint nor a lament, but the story of an African citizen about Africa a plea for a rejuvenated and more united Africa; an Africa free from the prejudices and injustices of a world order that slows its march toward development.

I do not claim to speak on behalf of Africa. I mainly wanted to share active militancy and the experience of a public life spanning several years in the service of Senegal and Africa.

This is the purpose of the 23 chapters I present in the book. They cover issues that I often addressed during my tenure as President of Senegal and in my mandates on behalf of Africa, notably as Chair of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (New Partnership for Africa\u2019s Development) and as Chairperson of the African Union.

Clearly, these issues remain relevant. They concern us as citizens, public and private leaders, intellectuals, young and old alike. They especially call for advocacy and action.

That is what motivated me to publish Africa at Heart.

In it, I speak of public action that positively impacts the daily lives of our people.

I recall the radiant smile of a child in Tomboronkoto, in southeastern Senegal, who discovered electricity for the first time in 2021 when I came to connect his village to the national power grid as part of an economic tour.

I speak of a panafricanism of action, for an Africa that must remain standing and resolute, despite the weight of history and the injustices of the present.

I speak of an Africa that must assert itself as a conscious actor of its potential, open to all horizons, for co-constructed, fair, and equitable partnerships.

We know the usual narratives about Africa Africa of conflicts, poverty, and disease; Africa divided, exploited, and marginalized on the international stage.

We cannot deny this Africa of problems. But there is also an Africa of solutions, which refuses the fatality of underdevelopment.

Africa of solutions is its vibrant and creative youth, who undertake and succeed; it is its millions of men and women who wake up early, go to bed late, and work hard to feed, educate, and care for their families; it is its businesspeople who invest, innovate, create wealth, and generate jobs.

Africa of solutions is a continent rich in natural resources: 30 million km\u00b2, nearly 60% of the world\u2019s untapped arable land, 15% of global forest resources, and 30% of the world\u2019s mineral reserves, including critical minerals essential to the energy transition.

Even better, our continent is not only a land of natural resources. It is also a crucible of ideas, cultures, and vibrant energies.

Its women and men embody hope, resilience, creativity, and innovation.

Africa is young, vibrant, and plural. It is a continent in motion, looking to the future. Whether in peace, security, sustainable development, or social justice, Africa is at the center of major global issues.

For this place to be fully recognized, we must speak with a united and more ambitious voice.

Africa must not be seen as a problem to solve, but as a solution under construction an Africa that is the actor of its own destiny, refusing to be at the periphery of the world.

To achieve this, there is no room for resignation. We must now, more than ever, be and remain in the time of action.

Africa must be a strategic actor, a driver of global transformation, a credible partner in the quest for a better future for itself and for the world.

But this Africa of solutions will only flourish and prosper if we succeed in correcting the imbalances of an eighty-year-old world order, which takes into account neither the needs nor the interests of our continent.

My deep conviction is that, regardless of their efforts, our countries cannot develop without reforming global political, economic, and financial governance.

In this global governance, Africa cannot remain on the sidelines of decisions taken elsewhere and in its name.

Through this book, I reaffirm my commitment to think about Africa in the world and the world with Africa.

Above all, I want to call for collective mobilization: that of public and private decision-makers, civil society, intellectuals, and especially youth, to build a new awareness, based on a shared, inclusive, and sustainable vision of our common destiny.

When I talk about global governance, I am not calling for a revolution, but I am calling for a necessary evolution of the decision-making bodies of the United Nations, the IMF, and the World Bank. We must welcome Africa\u2019s admission to the G20 and the granting of a third seat to the continent on the IMF Board of Directors.

But many concerns still remain.

I think of the biased ratings by rating agencies, which considerably increase the cost of access to credit for our countries.

I think of the unbearable burden of Africa\u2019s debt for decades, with no prospect of a comprehensive and lasting solution.

I think of the obstacles to a just and equitable energy transition, which would allow Africa to contribute to the fight against global warming without compromising its development efforts.

These are some of the issues I addressed in this book. I know they are all complex and weighty. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic. I believe in the emergence of a united, peaceful, and stable Africa, confident in itself and in its youth.

That is why this book is also a message to Africa and its youth. To all the young people of Africa, I say: believe in yourselves! The future belongs to you! Educate yourselves. Dare to undertake, to fulfill yourselves and to contribute to writing the future of our continent. The Africa of tomorrow will be what you make of it.

Thank you for your kind attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Discours de SEM le Pr\u00e9sident Macky Sall \u00e0 l\u2019occasion de la pr\u00e9sentation de son livre L\u2019Afrique au c\u0153ur<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je voudrais d\u2019abord replacer L\u2019Afrique au c\u0153ur<\/em> dans son contexte historique pour aider \u00e0 comprendre sa raison d\u2019\u00eatre et sa r\u00e9sonance globale.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

J\u2019appartiens \u00e0 une g\u00e9n\u00e9ration d\u2019africains n\u00e9s apr\u00e8s les ind\u00e9pendances, au terme d\u2019un long et p\u00e9nible cycle de domination coloniale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notre g\u00e9n\u00e9ration s\u2019est nourrie du combat de nos illustres pionniers, qu\u2019Amadou Hampat\u00e9 Ba a appel\u00e9s \u00ab les Fils A\u00een\u00e9s du 20e<\/sup> si\u00e8cle africain \u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leur lutte pour l\u2019ind\u00e9pendance de l\u2019Afrique et la reconnaissance de sa place dans le concert des nations a marqu\u00e9 nos esprits et nous a inspir\u00e9s. C\u2019est ce bouillonnement intellectuel, politique et syndical qui m\u2019a pr\u00e9par\u00e9 et fait entrer en politique. Voil\u00e0 la raison d\u2019\u00eatre de mon livre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Afrique au c\u0153ur<\/em> est essentiellement ax\u00e9 sur les d\u00e9fis du continent et les moyens d\u2019y faire face dans un contexte mondial en pleine mutation. Ce n\u2019est ni une plainte ni une complainte, mais le r\u00e9cit d\u2019un citoyen africain sur l\u2019Afrique ; un plaidoyer pour une Afrique revigor\u00e9e et plus unie ; une Afrique lib\u00e9r\u00e9e des pr\u00e9jug\u00e9s et  injustices d\u2019un ordre mondial qui retarde sa marche vers le d\u00e9veloppement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je ne pr\u00e9tends pas parler au nom de l\u2019Afrique. J\u2019ai surtout voulu partager un militantisme actif et l\u2019exp\u00e9rience d\u2019une vie publique de plusieurs ann\u00e9es au service du S\u00e9n\u00e9gal et de l\u2019Afrique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C\u2019est l\u2019objet des 23 chapitres que j\u2019expose dans le livre. Ils portent sur des probl\u00e9matiques que j\u2019avais souvent abord\u00e9es dans le cadre de mes fonctions de Pr\u00e9sident du S\u00e9n\u00e9gal et de mes mandats au nom de l\u2019Afrique, notamment comme Pr\u00e9sident du Comit\u00e9 d\u2019Orientation du NEPAD (Nouveau partenariat pour le d\u00e9veloppement de l\u2019Afrique) et Pr\u00e9sident en exercice de l\u2019Union africaine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

De toute \u00e9vidence, ces probl\u00e9matiques restent d\u2019actualit\u00e9. Elles nous interpellent en tant que citoyens, leaders publics ou priv\u00e9s, intellectuels, jeunes et moins jeunes. Elles demandent surtout une prise en charge par le plaidoyer et l\u2019action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voil\u00e0 ce qui m\u2019a motiv\u00e9 \u00e0 publier L\u2019Afrique au c\u0153ur<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

J\u2019y parle<\/strong> de l\u2019action publique qui impacte positivement le quotidien de nos populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je me souviens du sourire \u00e9clatant d\u2019un enfant de Tomboronkoto, au Sud-Est du S\u00e9n\u00e9gal, heureux de d\u00e9couvrir pour la premi\u00e8re fois en 2021 la lumi\u00e8re \u00e9lectrique quand j\u2019\u00e9tais venu connecter sa localit\u00e9 au r\u00e9seau national \u00e9lectrique, dans le cadre d\u2019une tourn\u00e9e \u00e9conomique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je parle<\/strong> d\u2019un panafricanisme d\u2019action, pour une Afrique qui doit rester debout et combative, malgr\u00e9 le poids de l\u2019histoire et les injustices du pr\u00e9sent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je parle<\/strong> d\u2019une Afrique qui doit s\u2019affirmer en acteur conscient de son potentiel, ouvert \u00e0 tous les horizons, pour des partenariats co-construits, justes et \u00e9quitables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nous connaissons les narratifs habituels sur l\u2019Afrique<\/strong> des conflits, l\u2019Afrique<\/strong> de la pauvret\u00e9 et des maladies, l\u2019Afrique<\/strong> divis\u00e9e, exploit\u00e9e et marginalis\u00e9e sur la sc\u00e8ne internationale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On ne peut pas nier cette Afrique des probl\u00e8mes<\/strong>. Mais il y a aussi une Afrique des solutions, <\/strong>qui refuse la fatalit\u00e9 du sous-d\u00e9veloppement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Afrique des solutions<\/strong>, c\u2019est sa jeunesse vibrante et cr\u00e9ative, qui entreprend et r\u00e9ussit ; ce sont ses millions d\u2019hommes et femmes qui se l\u00e8vent t\u00f4t, se couchent tard et travaillent dur pour nourrir, \u00e9duquer et soigner leurs familles ; ce sont ses hommes et femmes d\u2019affaires qui investissent, innovent, cr\u00e9ent de la richesse et des emplois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Afrique des solutions<\/strong>, c\u2019est un continent riche de ses ressources naturelles : 30 millions de km2, pr\u00e8s de 60% des terres arables mondiales non encore exploit\u00e9es, 15% des ressources foresti\u00e8res mondiales, et 30% des r\u00e9serves mini\u00e8res mondiales, y compris des min\u00e9raux critiques essentiels \u00e0 la transition \u00e9nerg\u00e9tique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mieux encore, notre continent n\u2019est pas seulement une terre de ressources naturelles. Il est aussi un creuset d\u2019id\u00e9es, de cultures et d\u2019\u00e9nergies ardentes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ses femmes et ses hommes incarnent l\u2019espoir, la r\u00e9silience, la cr\u00e9ativit\u00e9 et l\u2019innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Afrique est jeune, vibrante, plurielle. C\u2019est un continent en mouvement, tourn\u00e9 vers l\u2019avenir. Qu\u2019il s\u2019agisse de paix, de s\u00e9curit\u00e9, de d\u00e9veloppement durable ou de justice sociale, l\u2019Afrique est au centre des grands enjeux plan\u00e9taires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pour que cette place soit pleinement reconnue, nous devons parler d\u2019une voix unie et plus ambitieuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Afrique ne doit pas \u00eatre un probl\u00e8me \u00e0 r\u00e9soudre, mais une solution en construction<\/strong> ; une Afrique, actrice de son propre destin, qui refuse d\u2019\u00eatre \u00e0 la p\u00e9riph\u00e9rie du monde.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pour ce faire, il n\u2019y a pas de place \u00e0 la r\u00e9signation. Nous devons plus que jamais \u00eatre et rester dans le temps de l\u2019action. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

L\u2019Afrique doit \u00eatre un acteur strat\u00e9gique, moteur de la transformation globale, partenaire cr\u00e9dible  dans la qu\u00eate d\u2019un avenir meilleur pour elle-m\u00eame et pour le monde.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mais cette Afrique des solutions<\/strong> ne pourra s\u2019\u00e9panouir et prosp\u00e9rer que si nous arrivons \u00e0 faire corriger les d\u00e9s\u00e9quilibres d\u2019un vieil ordre mondial de quatre-vingts ans, qui ne tient compte ni des besoins ni des int\u00e9r\u00eats de notre continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ma conviction profonde est que, quels que soient leurs efforts, nos pays ne pourront se d\u00e9velopper sans la r\u00e9forme de la gouvernance politique, \u00e9conomique et financi\u00e8re mondiale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dans cette gouvernance mondiale, l\u2019Afrique ne peut rester en marge de d\u00e9cisions prises ailleurs et en son nom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c0 travers ce livre, je r\u00e9affirme mon engagement \u00e0 penser l\u2019Afrique dans le monde et le monde avec l\u2019Afrique<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je veux surtout inviter \u00e0 une mobilisation collective : celle des d\u00e9cideurs publics et priv\u00e9s, de la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 civile, des intellectuels, et surtout de la jeunesse<\/strong>, afin de b\u00e2tir une conscience nouvelle, fond\u00e9e sur une vision partag\u00e9e, inclusive et durable de notre destin commun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quand j\u2019\u00e9voque la gouvernance mondiale, je ne revendique pas une r\u00e9volution<\/strong>, mais j\u2019appelle \u00e0 une \u00e9volution<\/strong> n\u00e9cessaire des instances de d\u00e9cision des Nations unies, du FMI et de la Banque mondiale. Il faut saluer l\u2019admission de l\u2019Afrique au G20 et l\u2019octroi au continent d\u2019un 3e<\/sup> si\u00e8ge au Conseil d\u2019administration du FMI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mais les sujets de pr\u00e9occupations restent encore nombreux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je pense<\/strong> aux notations biais\u00e9es des agences de notations qui rench\u00e9rissent consid\u00e9rablement les conditions d\u2019acc\u00e8s de nos pays au cr\u00e9dit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je pense<\/strong> au fardeau insoutenable de la dette africaine depuis des d\u00e9cennies, sans perspective de solution globale et durable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Je pense<\/strong> aux obstacles \u00e0 une transition \u00e9nerg\u00e9tique juste et \u00e9quitable, qui permettrait \u00e0 l\u2019Afrique de contribuer \u00e0 la lutte contre le r\u00e9chauffement climatique sans compromettre ses efforts de d\u00e9veloppement.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voil\u00e0 quelques-unes des probl\u00e9matiques que j\u2019ai abord\u00e9es dans ce livre. Je sais qu\u2019elles sont toutes complexes et pesantes. Malgr\u00e9 tout, je reste optimiste<\/strong>. Je crois \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9mergence d\u2019une Afrique unie, apais\u00e9e et stable ; confiante en elle-m\u00eame et en sa jeunesse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

C\u2019est pourquoi ce livre est aussi un message \u00e0 l\u2019Afrique et \u00e0 sa jeunesse. A tous les jeunes d\u2019Afrique je dis : croyez-en vous<\/strong> ! L\u2019avenir vous appartient<\/strong> ! Formez-vous. Osez entreprendre pour vous r\u00e9aliser et contribuer \u00e0 \u00e9crire le futur de notre continent. L\u2019Afrique de demain sera ce que vous en ferez.  Je vous remercie de votre aimable attention.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New York, 24 septembre 2025 Excellencies: Dear Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations,Dear sister Ameenah Gurib-Fakin, former President of Mauritius,Dear friend Charles Michel, former President of\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3318,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,56,8,46],"tags":[],"msf_theme":[69],"msf_place":[77],"class_list":["post-3317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-featured-publications","category-publications","category-speeches","msf_theme-development","msf_place-new-york-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3317"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3317\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3327,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3317\/revisions\/3327"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3317"},{"taxonomy":"msf_theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msf_theme?post=3317"},{"taxonomy":"msf_place","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.mackysallfoundation.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/msf_place?post=3317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}