A video circulating on social media, particularly on TikTok, claims to show Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announcing the country's withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The video, which has been viewed by many, shows the president making statements about the country's decision to leave the regional economic community. However, a thorough investigation by PesaCheck has revealed that the video is manipulated and does not reflect the president's actual words or actions.
According to PesaCheck, the video was originally recorded in September 2024 during the 79th extraordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly. At the time, President Faye was addressing the summit, emphasizing the need for collective solutions to address mistrust towards international institutions. He also criticized the "infernal cycle of debt" and the inequity of the global economic system. However, the video in question has been edited to make it seem like the president announced Senegal's withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Further analysis of the video by PesaCheck using DeepFake-O-Meter revealed that the audio was generated by artificial intelligence with a 99.9% probability. A closer examination of the video also showed that the speaker's gestures and lip movements were not in sync with the audio. These findings confirm that the video is indeed manipulated and does not reflect the president's actual statement.
A search conducted by PesaCheck using keywords related to President Faye's alleged announcement did not yield any results confirming the information. This suggests that there is no credible evidence to support the claim that President Faye announced Senegal's withdrawal from ECOWAS. As the current chair of ECOWAS, President Faye has been working towards promoting unity and reform within the regional economic community.
Since taking office in July 2026, President Faye has been engaged in various diplomatic efforts, including mediation with countries in the Sahel region. He has also participated in several bilateral meetings with foreign leaders and attended a meeting on the implementation of the Pact for the Future in Africa. These engagements have been taking place on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
PesaCheck's investigation is part of its ongoing efforts to verify facts and combat misinformation on social media platforms. The organization has partnered with Facebook and other social media platforms to help identify and flag potentially false information. By providing the public with accurate information and context, PesaCheck aims to promote informed decision-making and critical thinking.
The fact-checking organization has been working to verify the accuracy of reports and statements on various issues, including public finances and service delivery. PesaCheck's work is particularly important in the context of Africa, where access to accurate information is crucial for promoting good governance and accountability. The organization's efforts have been recognized and supported by various partners, including Code for Africa and the Deutsche Welle Akademie.
Key points
- The video claiming to show President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announcing Senegal's withdrawal from ECOWAS is manipulated.
- The video was originally recorded in September 2024 during the 79th extraordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly.
- PesaCheck's investigation was conducted using various tools and techniques, including DeepFake-O-Meter and reverse image search.
