Macky Sall
A geologist-turned-president who steered Senegal through a period of major infrastructure growth and a historic, peaceful transfer of power.
Born 1961 (age 65)·President of Senegal from 2012 to 2024·Birthday: December 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Macky Sall brought a methodical, engineer's mindset to the highest office in Senegal. Trained as a geologist, he entered politics as a key lieutenant to President Abdoulaye Wade, serving as Prime Minister and later President of the National Assembly. Their alliance fractured, and Sall founded his own party, positioning himself as a figure of stability. His 2012 election victory was seen as a triumph for Senegalese democracy. As president, he oversaw significant economic projects like the Train Express Régional and the construction of a new international airport. His tenure, however, was also marked by tensions over a third-term bid, which he ultimately renounced, paving the way for the 2024 election. By leaving office after two terms, Sall cemented a legacy of respecting constitutional limits in a region where leaders often cling to power.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Macky was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Macky Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Macky's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the fourth President of Senegal from 2012 to 2024, winning two electoral mandates.
- Oversaw the completion of major infrastructure projects including the Dakar Train Express Régional and Blaise Diagne International Airport.
- Became the Chairperson of the African Union in 2022, advocating for continental vaccine production and institutional reform.
- Respected term limits and facilitated a peaceful democratic transition in 2024, a significant act in West African politics.
Did You Know?
He is a trained geological engineer, graduating from the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar and the French Institute of Petroleum.
He was the first Senegalese president born after the country's independence from France in 1960.
His decision not to run for a third term in 2024 was announced in a televised address on July 3, 2023.
He served as Prime Minister under President Abdoulaye Wade from 2004 to 2007.
“Senegal is a mature democracy... I will not be a candidate in the next election.”
