Russian language teacher by his initial training and doctor of pedagogy graduated from the prestigious Pushkin Institute in Moscow, the one who defines himself as a child of Yaraax, a fishing village nestled at the entrance of Dakar, the Senegalese capital, spent a fortnight in the service of Senegalese diplomacy before returning to Senegal to face other GREAT challenges
Professor of Russian philology, correspondent journalist in Moscow, researcher at Columbia University in New York, communication advisor in ministerial cabinets in Dakar and diplomat at UNESCO in Paris, he ends his official career as Minister Counsellor, Head of the Economic Bureau of Senegal in the Russian Federation, as many positions, as much competence accumulated over the years that makes him an essential personality of the Senegalese landscape but also of the African continent
The child of Yaraax, since his return, resumed his function as president of the Forum of the African Renaissance FORA. A forum that aims to magnify the work of remarkable Africans for the African continent with the sole objective: its influence on the regional but also international level.
Souleyanta Nidiaye now wants to revolutionize the world of communication: YES AFRICA GROUP is thus his brand new project: a group that will focus its activities in the field of communication in favor of the continent.
YES AFRICA MAGAZINE YAMA as the most beautiful Yaya in our historical tales, thus becomes the first achievement of this communication group. It is an independent, pan-African monthly newspaper that will bring its stone to the edifice: to show Africa in its richest and most beautiful dimension, Africa with Men steeped in ideas and ambition for a more prosperous continent hoisted to the highest place of nations.
Souleyanta Nidaye explains his projects, his vision for the African continent, his determination and why Africa must speak with one voice. Welcome to its new dimension of pan-Africanism:
See the Souleyanta Ndiaye the full interview
Ze-Africanews: Who is Souleyanta Ndiaye?
Souleyanta Ndiaye : Souleyanta NDiaye, he is a child of the country, he is a child of Senegal who tried to live an instinct of the moment and who tried to give the best of himself in all the fields where he had to work. Souleyanta Ndiaye is a sort of exile who is back in the country.
Ze-Africanews: How do you organize this return? And “YES AFRIKA”… is your new project, what is it? And what is the purpose of this ambitious project?
Souleyanta Ndiaye: It’s not a return we want noisy but it’s a return we want useful. We came back with the idea of continuing what we used to do. And this time we thought that to continue the Pan-African struggle it was necessary to create a communication group YES AFRICA GROUP consisting of three elements: a newspaper, an independent Pan-African monthly, a television YES AFRICA TV, a radio YES AFRICA radio. This project is part of a very specific framework, we want to appeal to the new generation, to all Africans to understand that Africans must take charge of themselves, including in the field of information. Someone said that holding the information holds the world, and Africans are now victims of an information war that is going on between foreign powers, Africa has its say especially on issues that concern. This is what prompted us to create YES AFRICA GROUP, which is part of our desire to reintegrate into our local and African realities more globally.
Ze-Africanews: Tell us about the “FORA”, the African Renaissance Forum?
Souleyanta Ndiaye: And we resumed the activities of FORA. FORA is the African Renaissance Forum. An organization that we created in Paris in November 2010, which brought together leading figures from the African diaspora mainly in France. So we resume the activities of the African Renaissance Forum to reinforce this objective that we want to achieve of gathering not only of the African intelligentsia but of all the competences that can converge towards each other for the development of Africa. My return gives me the opportunity to reconnect not only with my past but also with the new realities we are living in Africa that are not far from what is happening elsewhere with the digital revolution with globalization. We will try in the framework of the African Renaissance Forum to take into account the possible convergences always in the same objective of development of the continent.
Ze-Africanews: What is Africa to you?
Souleyanta Ndiaye: For me, Africa is the continent of the future, it is also the continent of today. For me, Africa is the continent of all hopes. For me, Africa is the mother of humanity. Let us not forget Sheikh Anta Diop showed that Africa was indeed the cradle of humanity. Human origins were born in Africa.What does that mean? It means that we must take into account our past but with a sense of pride. For me, Africa is the continent that is the centre of gravity of all contingencies.Africa is the continent that attracts. Africa is the continent of all possibilities. But it is necessary that this “all the possible there”, go in the direction of the positive, go in the direction of the construction of peace, go in the direction of the construction of continental solidarity. For me, Africa is like a hand extended to the rest of the world for an appointment of “give and receive” to take up the thesis of the late President Léopold Sédar Senghor. Africa is the mother continent and as such Africa must set a good example. For me, Africa must ban wars, whether ethnic, religious or community. Africa must find itself as one man to tell the world we are here.
Ze-Africanews: Do you have a message for African Presidents?
Souleyanta Ndiaye: It is in this spirit that we intend in a few moments to make a solemn appeal to the various African leaders, to the Heads of African States in particular so that they know that they have been put at the head in front of the stage, that they have been placed at the head of the States to ensure that the populations live in better conditions. That people have confidence in themselves. That national resources are shared fairly. In a word, we will appeal to the African Heads of State to become more aware of their historic role in advancing Africa.
