Clashes erupted at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, as students demanded stipends and financial aid amid the government’s ongoing fiscal challenges.
Security forces responded with tear gas to disperse rock-throwing students, injuring several and overwhelming medical services.
The unrest comes as Senegal struggles with a severe financial strain, with a debt burden equal to 132% of its GDP, according to the IMF.
Students have held peaceful demonstrations for 13 months, appealing to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who are aware of the country’s instability and university turmoil.
However, the government has sent police officers to the campus, escalating tensions.
The university, with almost 90,000 students enrolled in 2024, is a hub for social and economic challenges.
Prime Minister Sonko, an alumnus, had pledged to combat unemployment, corruption, and elitism, but faces criticism from opposition parties for handling these issues.
An audit revealed a wider-than-reported debt burden and budget deficit inherited from the previous government.
Talks with the IMF over a new financial program have made slow progress, leaving authorities to deal with mounting public discontent and a challenging fiscal outlook.
