HAROUNA DIA: The financier of Macky

is a billionaire from Kéthiakh*

He is an ordinary billionaire. A man of the shadows who refuses to catch the light.
Harouna Dia, 58 years old, main supporter of Macky Sall's campaign, the new strongman.
from Senegal that he covered with billions of FCfa to bring him to the highest judiciary, is
a boy crafts wood from the people... Halpulaar. A Son of Wendou Bosséabé, (60 km
d'Ourrossogui, in the Kanel department) in the deep Fouta, which cultivates its field
of discretion.
Met, on the evening of Tuesday, March 28, at his suite at the Dakar hotel,
Radisson Blu, Harouna has remained true to its reputation. No Hermès tie, nor
an outfit that costs a fortune, the friend of President Macky, who abhors showiness, was completely
relaxed in his casual outfit. "I always dress like this," he says, as
to apologize for a bit too much modesty. And for the first time, this engineer
hydraulic engineer, graduated top of his class from the Polytechnic University of Toulouse,
former civil servant of the State of Senegal and the American NGO Africare, who has
done in the smoked fish in Ouagadougou, reveals to the press. A big interview
full of beautiful surprises and great revelations
Harouna Dia, you were discovered only recently with the election of Macky.
Hello. L'Observateur presented you as one of the main donors of its
campaign, even of his party since he was born. Who are you? Harona Dia,
he is a simple Senegalese citizen who perhaps had the chance to have dealt with
certain studies, the chance of having pursued a certain career, the chance of having
reaches an income that others do not have, that is the only difference. I am a
civil engineer by training. I was born almost 700 kilometers from
Dakar to Wendou Bosséabé. I did my primary education there, my studies
secondary at Faidherbe high school in Saint-Louis, my higher education at
The University of Dakar. Then, I went to France to pursue higher studies.
Schools and I graduated from the National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse in
as a hydraulic engineer. I came back and got a position in Casamance.
We have achieved very important results regarding the solution of the
salinization of the soils of Casamance around the years 1982-1984. We had
found some quite revolutionary solutions that called into question what had been
always done there and it is from there that the United States ambassador,
At that time, Senegal offered me a one-year internship in their country to get to know it.
the technologies on salinization, irrigation, and rice production. I was put
in a team of American experts, I really delved into America.
I have returned with an 18 billion program to definitively resolve the
salt problem in Casamance. After, the events (the armed conflict with the
Movement of the democratic forces of Casamance has begun and I was
forced to go to Chad, into the desert, where I spent a year in what we
let's call on hydraulics in arid areas, funded by Usaid. There, I had
experienced a drama, because I saw people die of hunger. I asked to be released and they
transferred me to the United States. I didn't stay there very long. We
I am considered a revolutionary and I have been offered a position in Burkina Faso.
who was in the midst of a revolution and had a very ambitious control program
water. But one must admit one thing, my stay in the United States has completely
changed my view of the world and business, and I lowered my ambition to
to become President or Director of a public company. I came back with
the ambition to be a business owner, my own business. And when I left the
Chad, I simply told them that I wanted to go back to Casamance, to Adéane.
more specifically, to cultivate mangoes and then sell them for
make money. Because, what I understood is that, it is money that
It counted, and I understood that in the United States.
How? It's a long story. The one who was mentoring me invited me one day to
discuss between American and African brothers. We went to his farm and have
spent the whole afternoon plowing. At that moment, as a good Senegalese,
I had $2,000 with me that I had saved and I wanted to use it to buy some ...
video recorders, in short, modern stuff to show off in Dakar. So, we
we got on our tractors, we plowed almost all day
together and after discussing, he made me understand that we (Africans)
were not right. The most important thing in life is not to go indulge oneself in
gadgets or beautiful outfits to come show off. Since then, I have completely
changed my vision and I looked for an opportunity to start a business.
How did you come to know Macky Sall? I met him when I was supporting...
President Wade's campaign in Ouagadougou on behalf of the Pds. In 2007,
PDS had problems in Ouagadougou where part of the electorate wanted to make a
They came to see me saying: 'Big, you have to help us.'
"Help because if you don't intervene, the President is going to lose in Burkina Faso." I have
I said: "No, I definitely wouldn't want that." I intervened, I put the ...
means, in short, it went very well and they estimated that I should know the
Campaign director of the Pds (Sopi Coalition 2007, rather). And they put me in
relationship with Macky Sall who held this position at that time. And when I am
Arriving in Dakar, I met him and gave him support and then I went to see Wade.
to whom I have also provided support.
What is a support? Good! (He smiles) That is to say, I have made my contribution.
financial.
At what height? No, I can't say. I did it for the campaign.
of President Wade and he knows it. I contributed to his campaign in 2007. In the
departments of Matam and Kanel as well, I have given my contribution. So, also
Both in Ouagadougou and in Senegal, we have made the effort. That's how it is.
that I have known President Macky Sall.
Why did you leave Wade that you initially supported to join
the camp of Macky Sall? Discreetly, I was part of those who did not want
not the break until the last moment. As I came and found that
the team was united and as much as I was with Karim's friends, I was also
with Macky's friends who formed a tight-knit group around the president of the
Republic. I arrived in the countryside, I supported Karim's friends, all
of course, and Macky's friends too. And to be honest, we saw the cracks appear
drawing, we felt that there were problems in Wade's camp since 2007.
And I discovered this, in the middle of the countryside, but I won't go into details.
I saw that it was starting to go disastrously. So, we tried to weld our
forces and stay together, but until the last day, that is to say the break, we
we did not despair. We thought we would find solutions but,
unfortunately, I saw that the two positions were becoming more and more
trenches and we therefore estimated that Macky was unjustly punished. He has
unjustly sanctioned and, worse, they tried to humiliate him. It was really
the humiliation. So, I found it a bit shocking, it was even bad for
the image of our country. We believe that when someone serves the State, there is
of these things... (He does not finish his sentence). When someone serves the State at a
At a certain level, there must be certain things to preserve. This is beneficial for
the image of our State and our Administration. So, we thought that this
was not the right solution and we struggled.
But so far, people do not know what really happened between
Macky Sall and Abdoulaye Wade. What happened? I am not part of their
secret. We just saw what happened between them. We all know that Macky has
He summoned his son and we all saw what followed. The fight started.
Then, there was a backlash everywhere, people were making statements everywhere.
azimuths and he was removed from the National Assembly.
You mentioned earlier that you tried to patch things up between them. What was the
Wade's position? (He interrupts). Honestly, I wasn't talking to Wade, I
I was talking to friends of Karim because in the background, it was Karim who was the
problem. (It repeats) I was talking with friends of Karim. There are some I
I have maintained good relationships until today and we, we were trying to
work together for people to come together. It didn't work.
Did Karim deep down want this divorce between his father and
Macky? In politics, everyone comes with their ambitions. Macky was disturbing,
maybe, and it needed to be eliminated to make it simpler. Otherwise, I do not
don't explain to me the obsession against Macky (Sall). The fact of summoning Karim,
it was good for him, but people took it badly. I think that it was a
problem of ambitions that arose. Ambitions that were developing on both sides and
others and then, it was normal. We regretted that the family fell apart. We
we fought for the family to reunite, unfortunately it did not work.
Is it the procedure that Macky fell victim to that prompted you to
take sides in this fight? We, Senegalese of the Diaspora, we
We are builders across the entire national territory. We are building
clinics, schools, wells. At one point, during the early
In the years of 'Alternation', there were fluctuations. People were doing some
politics and there were no actions. Macky Sall's time as Prime Minister has
coincided with the completion of major works, the infrastructures of the President
Wade. Et nous, nous nous sommes retrouvés dedans. Ce qui explique la grande
diaspora membership in 2007 and we voted massively for Wade. No
we only voted for him, but we even campaigned for him. We
found in him an ally, but we also found in Macky Sall, an important actor
who speaks little and acts a lot. The fact that he was sidelined like this has made it so that we
entered into the political game. Macky has sparked hope in us by
launching the major projects of President Wade. Personally, I was touched by
the attitude of Macky and his wife at a certain moment. I think that at one point,
they (the state authorities) had considered everything. They were planning to put Macky
in prison. And one evening, I call Macky who was with his wife, he tells me: "Harona,
you know that the current situation has no solution and, in any case, I do not
I would not give up my principles and there are things that I would not accept.
Now, I am ready to go to prison, that’s what they want. Don’t worry about me.
for that." He hands me his wife (Marième Faye) who says to me: "Honestly, if it is
because of the principles that my husband embodies that they want to put him in prison, I am
ready for him to go and I am ready to take on." I understood that there was in this
family a strong determination and a strong belief in values. That's what
marked me and I said to myself: I will engage with Macky Sall in politics.
That is why you financed billions in Macky's campaign.
Hi? People say it, but they have no proof. I'm not the only one, all the
the world has contributed. You go to Fouta, you will find people who have come.
from Congo, from Gabon, from everywhere.
Why are you trying to hide your involvement in the rise in
power of Macky Sall? I hide nothing. I contributed, but I am not the
alone. We all contributed. We divided the roles. I took on
I engaged the first one and I led the others with me. Each one made the effort to the
height of his possibilities. Maybe I did more than others and that I have more
deserving as much as others. But everyone gave their all.
But don't you support Macky Sall, like the other wealthy people?
Is it because you find a relative in him? Honestly,
this cannot be ruled out. But we have parents who are with Wade and us
Let's not support them. We fought together on the ground.
How many billions have you invested in Macky's campaign? I don't
I can't say. I even wonder if I have billions to invest in a
campaign.
But we are talking about 35 4X4 vehicles that you have purchased for the 14 regions.
from Senegal. You have given about 5 to 6 billion to 26 localities for
further implant the Apr. You cannot deny it... (He interrupts) I
No, do not think that I contributed to the progress of the campaign of the Apr. But where we
it doesn't count, it's when you want to quantify my contribution. It's not with
35 4X4 that we won the elections. There was more than that.
But the 35 SUVs, is that a reality? It's much more than that. We have put the
means. A lot of money and we have had good results. We had a
respondent. People exaggerate and say that I have corrupted leaders, I have given
To each of the great electors of Fouta, millions to buy 4X4s, I have followed.
All of this makes me laugh. They are the ones who bought people. They were in
the polling stations with their bundles of money. And I even wonder why
They didn't come to buy me? (He bursts out laughing) He could have come to negotiate with
Hi. I am a businessman, but they haven't offered me anything.
Maybe you are an untouchable, to use a trendy term?
drainage). No, I am touchable since I am a businessman. You
You know, Senegal is a great democratic nation. Today, at the level of
internationally, our side has surged and if we can continue to
to contribute to Senegalese democracy, we must invest better in
us. We must also invest in people, with Macky Sall, perhaps, that he there
This is a return on investment, but not for Harouna Dia, but for everyone.
Senegal. We estimate that if you are rich while 9 of your relatives are poor, then that
serves no purpose.
To return to Macky Sall, did you think he would be elected in a short period of time?
You know, I am a businessman and we, businessmen, take
risks every day, but these are measured and calculated risks. It is the
same analysis that we did before committing to Macky Sall. It will be necessary, in
Africa, let business people learn to invest in people.
politics. Because when politics is blocked, business does not work.
I took a risk and faced the backlash, threats of all kinds.
From whom? From the people who were there, in power.
When did you feel that Macky could be President, that he was the right one?
In 2009, when he went to the local elections, Macky had no
They refused to give us the receipt. But we beat them without.
part. And the fact that we are with Macky, that we have been able to mobilize the diaspora of
the whole world made us understand that the population supported and endorsed it. We
He felt that there had really been a Macky dynamic in the country since 2009.
All the trends that emerged, he was in the leading duo.
Your man comes to power in a difficult context marked by the crisis.
economic and financial, while he made many promises to the electorate
Senegalese, starting with the decrease in the prices of basic goods.
necessity. How do you plan to avoid disappointing the Senegalese in
this subject? You see that it rained today, in the middle of the dry season (the maintenance has
was done on Tuesday, March 28 last year), it is not a coincidence. Then, I went
I greeted Macky earlier (it was midnight), he let me in and I found there...
big financiers and we discussed. They told Macky Sall that with his
election, the conditions for mobilizing money are easier for Senegal
Currently, we are ready to mobilize whatever you want. Today, you
you can ask any financier, they will tell you that Macky's election
Sall has created a new situation for the country. I believe that we are
smart enough, we have valid frameworks and we will
exploiter. One cannot engage in politics without thinking of man, one cannot
do not build infrastructure unless it serves mankind. The Senegalese do not
eating more than their fill, they are tired and we are going to tackle that (...) But, managing
this sector is to sustainably increase agricultural production. It is necessary that at the
next campaign, there is an overproduction in Senegal. And for that,
President Macky Sall has already started to gather the partners involved in
agriculture, so that the seeds are put in place. We will modernize
and you will see what it will be like. Then, as for the imports, there
there are things we do not control. In Burkina, for example, the State has decided
to give up what he took from essential goods, neither taxes nor VAT,
and the prices have dropped. Even the people who did not want to understand on the side of
"Fal2012" admitted that if the VAT is canceled, prices will drop.
But, won't that cause problems elsewhere? A budget is ...
the balance. If we compile the charges of the State, of the Presidency of Senegal, it has been
demonstrated that it functions four times that of the French Presidency. We
let's compress this and it will compensate for everything else. Our experts are in
Calculating train. There is waste in this country, which is reproached to this
government, it is economic governance, there has been a real waste, of
monuments of 90 billion FCfa, celebrations of 75 billion... They have thrown the money away.
the windows. We want to give this money to the populations. If we don't do
Aside from that, it must be considered that this is a security issue that arises for the
countries. People cannot continue to live in this situation of poverty,
of indigence while we sleep soundly in luxury hotels, they will go
come to invade us. We must consider the decrease in essential goods.
as a matter of national security. Because at one point, people
will explode, so we are forced. It's like a road, like
The Army represents fixed expenses that we are obliged to manage.
And we will do it with our technical and financial partners, and you will see that
we are going to make it.
For you, security comes from food self-sufficiency. Is it that
the best way to achieve this is not to go through the sector of
Agriculture and developing the Senegal River valley? Of course, I'm in.
convinced. Besides, I did it at my place, for the people who had given up.
Agriculture in my village. I have irrigated and brought tractors as well.
Let's modernize the sector, give tractors to people in rural areas.
What exactly did you do at home? I made two irrigated perimeters in
my village, one for women and one for men, from the boreholes. Because
that, I found that the government has done drilling, but when you do a
forage, it is aimed at combating poverty. But we can also equip it.
in the perspective of food self-sufficiency. The drilling we were doing, there are
who produce 100 to 150 m3 per hour, but they equip them with machines
who discharge 25 m3 per hour, because they simply want the populations
They drink. I removed the 'fight against poverty' pumps and I put the
pumps "for development". And I have irrigated more surfaces of land, it is not
not complicated. I explained it to President Wade. And people are making money,
they pay their electricity bills, they sell their vegetables. It is ability twelve
month out of twelve, because when you have water, the dry season does not exist. With
With drilling, we can create rain at any time. All you have to do is open the sprinklers.
they throw rainwater and people cultivate at any time.
So, it's this project, which you qualify as a pilot, that you propose to the
Senegalese? Among others! That one exists, but it also exists in the valley of
developments. Now, we will tell people, cultivate once, twice,
It's better than cultivating rice once, sowing, harvesting, and stopping.
When rice is grown, corn or even vegetables can be cultivated afterward. It is
where there is the river and even where there is no river as well, we want that the
people cultivate, even in Ndoffane, over there in Saloum, we want people to
work twelve months a year.
You hadn't set foot in Senegal for 5 years, you are just coming back.
after Macky Sall came to power. Is it to reap a little
dividends from your investments?
Honestly, I'm not into that. I will soon return to Ouagadougou.
I was there for Macky Sall's inauguration, to see the supporters, the relatives. But I
be part of those who think, those who explain, those who advise.
We have significant experience in our international journey, we
Let's make this available to Macky and the team that will be set up.
You don't have the ambition to be part of Macky Sall's team? No, I
I am a man of the private sector. I am passionate about the private sector. I am not political. I
I came to lend a hand, I’m going back to my natural environment, to my
business. Maybe I will make investments in Senegal. That I return and
that I invest in Senegal in the peanut oil industry. I am currently
thinking about investing in other sectors, because if I haven't invested in Senegal,
it's that the conditions were not suitable. We have our feet on the ground and a
Once, President Ousmane Seck (former president of the Bid) told me: "You know
Harouna, the problem with our heads of state is that as long as they do not have
counselors who do not depend on them, they will not get by." And it is this
experience that we want to try with Macky. I expect nothing from him. I will not do
part of the employees. I don't need it, I am with the people. We will...
help with clear ideas. People need to invest in the private sector,
because it is the private sector that develops a country. The state can simply play a role
régalien. Maintenant, il faut qu’on passe au statut de chef d’entreprise et non pas
only at the status of a public service employee. The company must be
developed. With my contribution, people will encourage investment in
the private sector, setting up businesses, creating jobs, wealth and
develop the country.
Aren't these beautiful ideas that will stumble upon the exercise of
power because already, the chronicle supports that Senegal is a few
the ravages of bankruptcy and that the coffers are empty. And Macky is 5 years old.
to implement everything you are selling us? I am by nature
optimistic. You know, even President Wade expressed his surprise at seeing
Macky is coming. He is surprised and people will be surprised again. There was rain. There is
countries that have experienced more difficult situations than this and have recovered.
the world is now a global village. President Macky said: "We
let's take stock." All that remains are speculations. We will see this
what we have and what we do not have. What exists concretely, this
what is feasible and what is not feasible, we will call on our partners.
People will accompany us. Senegal has shown extraordinary things to
the face of the world. The people are ready to accompany us if we have some
serious programs that address the issue of poverty. Europe is undergoing the
aftershocks, some die there, others want to return. So people are going to
to accompany us. We can borrow on the international market. We are
still solvable.
But the mode is no longer solvable. Does this fundraising call seem to you
very obvious will be able to be concretely realized? We are currently
speculate. Specifically, we will wait, we are thinking and
I haven't heard that Senegal is on the brink of bankruptcy. If it's true, the
People will explain to us why we are bankrupt? And we will
to call on our international partners. But from the moment there is a
real political will expressed to break with the old practices of mismanagement,
of bad governance, you will see that there will necessarily be an improvement.
Nothing will be the same as before in this country. I am convinced of that. It is the
political will at the top that we were missing. The diaspora brings in more than 900
billions per year, that's already significant.
We saw that you didn't talk about yourself, but in what field do you have?
Invest to become wealthy, to the point of being considered a billionaire?
Very young, I had good salaries. At that time, I was not working for money.
I was passionate, I wanted to develop activities. I was passionate about creation.
and development. I realized that in six years, I haven't developed anything. I have failed.
everywhere. I learned through my work in Burkina Faso where I was sent as
consultant for three months. In three years, I raised three million dollars
(1.5 billion CFA francs) and I was paid 3,000 dollars (1.5 million francs)
Cfa) per year. And the Americans told me that what we were doing there was business.
They told me: 'Harouna, you need to focus on the business. We need to win.'
money. So, I thought and said to myself: why not me? If I do
10% of the efforts I put in, I will succeed. I told myself: I succeeded on my own.
to raise 3 million dollars a year. I was writing the projects, I was doing the analyses
financially, I was doing almost everything and they only gave me 3,000 dollars. It was a
high salary back then, we had a beautiful house. I sold the misery of
populations of Burkina to earn that money. And I said to myself: I will
looking to sell something to make money freely. I then
asked one of my agents in Burkina what I could sell to have
the money. He said to me: "But boss, at your place, you throw away the fish and we,
We don't have any fish. At that moment, it was smoked fish. I went to see
the fish sellers of Abidjan (Ivory Coast) to ask for their advice,
since the Burkinabè were consuming Ivorian products. I waited to have
I have gathered 15 million CFA in my account to resign and return to Senegal.
I went to Mbour, Joal, I studied the situation and I saw that here, the people
were selling the fish for 80 FCFa, and in Burkina, they said that they could me
buy it for 1,200 FCfa. I said to myself: "I've wasted time until now." So,
I went in. But I lost all my money. Everything was messed up. The
Senegalese were false. The Burkinabe too. Everything they told me was nonsense.
False. First, the 'kéthiakh' (smoked fish) as they made it here is not this.
that the Burkinabé wanted. The Senegalese could not do what the
Burkinabè wanted. Before understanding it, all my money was gone. I went
take people from Ghana, Ivory Coast, etc. and I brought them to Joal.
Today, there is a neighborhood in Joal inhabited by them. In short, in the end, I understood with
What technology was needed to prepare Senegalese fish for consumption?
in Burkina. When I realized this, I made a lot of money. People
they were queuing at my place to deposit the money at 5 a.m. I chose
even new bills (he bursts out laughing). I said to myself: "Me, who is an executive, trained
In the prestigious colleges in the USA, I cannot produce my own salaries.
I needed to settle this. Let me tell you a story. There is a friend who is
Come see me at the Téranga hotel, he was looking for work. He told me it had been
He had been looking for a job for three years. He was asking me to intervene with one of our
a friend who was working at the United Nations to get hired there. I told him:
I can't intervene. You've been looking for work for three years. I want you to
it is concluded that there is no work. At that point, we can move forward. If you
accept that there is no work, I'm going to give you some advice." He said to me: "But,
How so?" I replied to him: "We searched for three years and we
We didn't find anything. Let's stop looking, at least you will get some rest." He said to me:
"What am I supposed to do then?" I reply to him: "You are going to get some money." He says to me:
"How can one look for money if there is no work?" I told him:
It's different. Looking for work and looking for money is different. I'm telling you.
He advised to look for money but not to look for work." He told me:
"Explain yourself." I said to him: "You are looking for a job because you are an engineer.
the textile. You sell your gray matter as a textile engineer. That's why you don't have
Could not find work. I asked him, "How much were you paid?" He said to me, "200,000"
FCfa. At that time, I was buying the Mtoa boxes (which are used for packaging)
cigarettes) among the Baol-Baol. They were going to look for packaging cartons at 300
CFA francs and they were selling it to me for 2,000 CFA francs. He was making 1,700 CFA francs per carton. I
He said to me: "The Baol-Baol, if he sells 100 cartons, that makes him 170,000 FCFa. 100
Baol-Baol cartons, that makes your engineer's salary. So stop looking for
work and go get money. You need to see what you can do at home for
earn your 200,000 CFA francs. Free yourself." I wanted to produce my salary of
30,000 dollars, I entered the 'Kéthiakh (smoked fish)' and in 1992, we
have achieved full employment in Joal. All the young people and women of Joal, we
We have employed. I have invested in at least 10 hectares in Joal. I have funded women, etc.
These are trucks, cars that lined up in Burkina. Senegal has
took over the entire smoked fish market in Burkina. I couldn't even anymore
supply the market, because they discovered that it was better than the fish from
Ivory Coast. Before, they used to say: 'You know the Guorgui (the Senegalese), he is a
truant." When I brought the "kethiakh," they said: "How can the Guorgui...
Bring me fish that has no head, that has no scales? That's not good.
I was selling Senegalese fish cheaper than Ivorian fish. They told me that the
fish from Gorgui, it's not good. It's not fish. But when they have
discovered it was fish, everyone dove in and I could no longer
replenishing the market. And the Burkinabe have come to invest in Joal. Well, when they are
returned to the "kéthiakh" market, I withdrew. There, now, it was not
more for my salary. I turned to fresh fish to make money.
How much? (He bursts out laughing). I can't say that. No, I'm not going to say it.
I was overcome by the passion for the business. I stepped away from smoked fish, I
I have gone into frozen fresh fish. I own 45 refrigerated trucks. I have
160 employees. I have a network. It's good. That means I settled an account.
with myself. I was able to create my salary, create the salaries of 160 employees, have
even surpluses that allow me to support, finance Macky Sall. It is this
what you wanted to hear (he bursts out laughing).
The day after the Thilogne festival where Demba Dia had brought his sound system
had banned the microphone from Baba Maal, the column asserts that as soon as
lendemain, vous lui avez acheté une sono à 300 millions. Est-ce vrai ?Oui, oui !
Because it hurt me. Now, I don't give numbers. I don't
I won't say the exact amount, but I bought the sound system because first, Baba Maal.
he is my classmate. We went to high school together. So, when
I learned that he didn't have his own music equipment, it hurt me and
Since I was his friend, I bought him the sound system. I have the means to do it and I did.
done discreetly. Indeed, I bought his sound system and he is happy. It's for
make his business run. It is always the entrepreneurial spirit that I have in the
head. I encourage any private initiative. Baba, a business leader, with his employees,
came to Burkina, we talked. If I help him, the money he uses to
renting equipment will serve his business. It's always about pushing for
that people develop.
What are your relations with the Burkinabé President, Blaise Compaoré?
We have no special relationships. I have never seen him, I have never...
met. But I know his family very well. At one point, I had some difficulties.
in my business and he had to help someone who helped me. I have very good relations.
in Burkina. Very good relations with everyone. The political class, the private sector,
everyone.
Did you introduce Macky to him? No. Macky also has his own
networks. Me, I am not a politician. I am a private individual. Macky has his networks, but
When he comes to Burkina, I will welcome him at the airport. But when he goes to
audience, I am not going there...