President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has appointed civil administrator Doune Pathé Mbengue as the new Director General of the Dakar Port Authority (PAD), replacing Waly Diouf Bodiang.
According to an official statement issued after the Council of Ministers meeting held on Thursday, July 16, 2026, the strategic appointment was among the individual decisions adopted under the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy. Doune Pathé Mbengue takes over the helm of an infrastructure that is deeply critical to Senegal’s domestic economy and broader regional trade within West Africa, as the port plays a central role in the regional logistics chain, particularly in supplying several landlocked Sahelian nations.
The transition comes at a time when the Dakar Port Authority is actively engaged in a long-term modernization program designed to expand its operational capacity, improve overall competitiveness, and strengthen its position as a primary sub-regional maritime hub.
This change in leadership aligns with Senegal’s broader national plans to aggressively develop its port and logistics infrastructure to support economic growth and accommodate the exploitation of its emerging energy resources. In tandem with this leadership transition, the Council of Ministers also appointed Mamadou Thiaw, an expert in management sciences and strategic management, to serve as the new Director General of the National Maritime Affairs Agency (ANAM), replacing outgoing director Bécaye Diop.
AC/Sf/lb/abj/APA