Senegal: 2015 Sports Budget Slashed by Over 42% Despite CAN Challenges
During a plenary session at the National Assembly of Senegal, Minister of Sports Matar Bâ defended his department’s proposed budget for 2015, facing pointed questions from the 150 deputies present.
The budget for 2015 was set at 5.88 billion CFA francs, a stark drop compared to the 10.18 billion CFA francs allocated in 2014. This decrease of over 4.29 billion CFA francs, representing a 42.20% reduction, raised immediate concern among parliamentarians, especially in the context of Senegal’s participation in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) and the Junior CAN.
Deputies stressed that while qualifying for the CAN is important, ensuring a competitive showing requires strong logistics and significant financial support.
In response, Minister Bâ reassured the assembly, citing President Macky Sall’s personal financial involvement during the CAN 2015 qualifiers. He promised to manage the limited resources carefully while still ensuring Senegal could participate adequately in upcoming continental competitions.
