Mame Youssou Diagne, a telecommunications engineer with over 20 years of experience at Sonatel, has been elected as the president of the Amicale des Cadres de Sonatel (ACSON) for the 2026-2030 term. Diagne has been with Sonatel since 2002, starting as an intern and later becoming a full-time employee in 2006. He has played a significant role in several major projects, including the transition to all-IP, digital terrestrial television, and 5G deployment.
Diagne's professional journey at Sonatel has been marked by various leadership roles. He began as a technical service engineer, later becoming an analyst in the quality of service department. In 2010, he joined the network engineering team, where he worked on several major projects, including the deployment of multiservice routers, which enabled Sonatel's network to transition to all-IP. He also led the launch of the Flybox, a residential voice and internet service based on 3G/4G technology.
Diagne's experience in network engineering has been extensive. He was responsible for the transport aspect of the transition to digital terrestrial television in 2015. He also led several phases of internet access offer refoundation, including the introduction of VDSL and 4G. In 2021, he worked on a project to offload mobile traffic to Wi-Fi zones in Dakar and other regions. More recently, he led the deployment and launch of Sonatel's 5G offers for fixed wireless internet and mobile high-speed internet.
Diagne's education and training have played a significant role in his career. He holds a scientific baccalaureate from Lycée Galandou Diouf and a diploma in telecommunications and computer networks from the École Supérieure Multinationale des Télécommunications (ESMT). He also obtained a Cisco CCNA certification and training in ISO 9001 quality standards. Diagne has also taught IP/MPLS networks internally at Sonatel and at ESMT and MIT University in Dakar.
As president of ACSON, Diagne has outlined a program focused on three key areas: rassembler (to bring together), valoriser (to valorize), and inspirer (to inspire). His campaign, which ran under the slogan "Ensemble, donnons une nouvelle dynamique à l'ACSON" (Together, let's give ACSON a new dynamic), aimed to make ACSON more inclusive and effective. Diagne's vision for ACSON is centered around his own experience, vision, and commitments, with a promise to make the organization "more close, more useful."
ACSON is one of the social organizations of Sonatel's personnel, alongside unions such as SYTS and SNTPT and the Women's Association (AFSON). The organization has taken positions on several major issues in the sector, including regulation of OTT services and the arrival of new operators. Diagne's election as president of ACSON is seen as a significant development in the Senegalese telecommunications sector.
Diagne's priorities as president of ACSON will likely focus on promoting the interests of Sonatel's employees and contributing to the development of the telecommunications sector in Senegal. His experience and leadership skills make him well-positioned to lead ACSON and advocate for the needs of its members.
Key points
- Mame Youssou Diagne has been elected as the president of ACSON for 2026-2030.
- Diagne has over 20 years of experience at Sonatel, including leadership roles in several major projects.
- Diagne's program as president of ACSON focuses on rassembler, valoriser, and inspirer.
