Pape Diop

Who is Pape Diop?

Pape Diop is a Senegalese politician and a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party who has been President of the Senate of Senegal since 2007. He was Mayor of Dakar, the capital city, from 2002 to 2009, as well as President of the National Assembly of Senegal from 2002 to 2007.

Diop was born in Dakar. He joined the PDS in 1974 and was Treasurer-General of the PDS from 1992 to 1997. He was elected to the National Assembly as a PDS candidate from Dakar Department in the May 1993 parliamentary election and was re-elected in the May 1998 parliamentary election and the April 2001 parliamentary election.

He was elected as Mayor of Dakar on May 12, 2002, receiving 52% of the vote and defeating long-time mayor Mamadou Diop. Pape Diop, a wealthy businessman who was the CEO of a seafood export company, Soumex SA, was still a relatively unknown figure at this time, but was backed by President Abdoulaye Wade and Minister of State Idrissa Seck.

Diop became President of the National Assembly in June 2002 in addition to his position as Mayor of Dakar. Within the PDS, Diop was a member of the party's Steering Committee and National Secretariat as of 2002.