The West African country of Senegal is known for its rich creative scene, welcoming culture and relatively stable politics. But in recent years, Senegal has become trapped in a debt crisis that threatens to derail the country’s fragile economy.
Like many former European colonies, Senegal’s economy is geared heavily towards raw materials – particularly oil, metals, fish and cash crops – a legacy of colonial policies that reshaped economies to serve European commercial interests. This makes the country highly vulnerable to price fluctuations in international markets and often reliant on debt to fund essential public services.
Just like scores of other countries across…