Bogotá, Colombia – Senegal and Colombia have formalized their commitment to increased cooperation with a new agreement for regular political consultations, signed on March 20, 2026. The move comes as both nations seek to strengthen ties between Africa and Latin America.
The memorandum of understanding was signed on the sidelines of the first Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac)-Africa Forum, held in Bogotá from March 18-21, 2026. Senegal’s Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad, Cheikh Niang, and Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio signed the agreement, according to a statement from Senegal’s Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad.
“This important milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation will allow Senegal and Colombia to have regular exchanges on issues of common interest at both the bilateral and multilateral levels,” the statement read.
During a bilateral meeting alongside the forum, Niang and Villavicencio discussed the importance of bolstering political, economic, and cultural connections not only between their two countries, but more broadly between Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. They emphasized the need to advance South-South cooperation and defend shared values in a challenging international landscape.
The partnership builds on previous expressions of intent. In December 2025, Colombian Vice President Francia Elena Márquez Mina, during a visit to Dakar, Senegal, identified the Senegalese capital as a key entry point for enhanced cooperation in Africa. Márquez reaffirmed her country’s desire to forge closer ties with Senegal, viewing it as a strategic partner on the African continent. “We wish to strengthen our partnership because, unfortunately, trade is not representative enough, even though the two countries are not far apart geographically,” Márquez said at the time.
To that end, Colombia proposed the initial political consultations, signaling a fresh diplomatic start between the two nations. Discussions are underway for a range of sector-specific agreements covering commerce, tourism, culture, security, and food sovereignty, with a particular focus on issues of reparations and racial justice.
A high-level forum between Celac and the African Union, scheduled for March 2029 in Bogotá, is expected to solidify this broader strategic partnership. The agreement underscores a growing effort to bridge the gap between the two continents and foster collaborative solutions to shared challenges.
