Lead

Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump, accusing him of destabilising the world and plunging it into chaos. Speaking at an international conference on sovereignty in Dakar on Thursday, Sonko directed his remarks at Trump's handling of the US-Israel military campaign against Iran, challenging the efficacy of the operation and its stated goals.

Background

Sonko spoke at a conference hosted by French political scientist Pascal Boniface, who addressed the emergence of the Global South and its demand for equal treatment on the world stage. Boniface said that while Western nations have not lost power or wealth, they have lost their monopoly on both, and argued that all nations should have an equal seat at the global table.

Key Claims

  • Sonko accused Trump of "destabilising the world" and said he is "not a man of peace," according to Africa News.
  • He argued that "reducing Iran's ballistic capabilities" and "forcing Iran to abandon all nuclear programmes, both civil and military" are objectives that have not been achieved, as reported by Africa News.
  • Sonko called for African nations to join forces and pool their power, and pointed to Africa's youth as a "force to be mobilized," as quoted by Africa News.

Reactions and Context

Al Jazeera's report focused on Sonko's accusation that Trump started a war on Iran and plunged the world into chaos. Both outlets presented Sonko's remarks without rebuttal, and no official response from the US administration or the Trump campaign has been reported. The conference in Dakar highlighted growing calls from African and Global South leaders for greater sovereignty and influence in international affairs, a theme echoed in Boniface's remarks and Sonko's call for continental unity.