France, July 21 -- A statement from the foreign ministry, released on Monday, said that President Faye reached his decision after meeting Macky Sall on Friday.

Sall governed Senegal from 2012 to 2024 and is now one of five candidates seeking to succeed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on 31 December.

Burundi, which holds the African Union's rotating presidency, nominated Sall for the UN role, and Senegal had, until Monday, stopped short of publicly endorsing his candidacy.

Faye instructed his government to "fully mobilise" support for Sall, saying his bid "is now Senegal's candidacy in the service of Africa," according to the statement.

The endorsement marks a significant political U-turn from Faye, whose adminis...