A new policy brief by economist Souleymane Bah reveals critical shortcomings in the international debt monitoring systems following Senegal’s recent hidden debt crisis. Bah argues the accumulation of $13.3 billion in undeclared sovereign debt – nearly 25% of Senegal’s GDP between 2019 and 2024 – occurred despite close oversight from the IMF and the BCEAO. He asserts that failures extend beyond the actions of previous Senegalese authorities, pointing to structural issues within the international financial institutions. The report, published by IDEAS-Africa Network (IDAN), calls for four key reforms to prevent future crises and advocates for shared responsibility between national authorities and international financial institutions. Bah highlights the IMF mission chief's description of the case as the largest hidden debt crisis recorded in Africa. The analysis challenges solely blaming past Senegalese leadership, instead emphasizing systemic failures in debt surveillance and a lack of due diligence by the BCEAO.