DAKAR, Senegal, Feb 27: Dr. Michelle White, CEO of Mercy Ships met this week with His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, at the Presidential Palace in Dakar to discuss the future of collaboration between Mercy Ships and the Government of Senegal.
During her visit to Dakar, Dr. White also met with the Minister of Health, Dr. Ibrahima Sy and Chief of Staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Fatou Gaye Ngom reinforcing Mercy Ships’ commitment to aligning closely with national health priorities and strengthening diplomatic and regional cooperation.
The meeting builds on a nearly decade-long partnership under a formal protocol agreement currently in place through 2027. Discussions focused on strengthening and deepening cooperation in support of national healthcare priorities and long-term surgical system development.
A significant part of the conversation centered on the shared desire to see a Mercy Ships hospital ship to return to Senegal as soon as feasible, with the intention of regular future engagements alongside sustained, long-term Medical Capacity Building (MCB) initiatives.
Both parties explored opportunities to expand collaboration in areas including medical capacity building, healthcare infrastructure development, innovation in healthcare delivery, and regional engagement across West Africa. Senegal’s strategic position offers potential for continued regional collaboration aimed at increasing access to specialized surgical care and training.
The discussion took place within the context of Mercy Ships’ existing field service commitments, which currently include the planned return of the Africa Mercy® to Madagascar in April 2026 and the completion of the Global Mercy’s™ field service in Sierra Leone prior to her scheduled arrival in Ghana in August 2026.
Central to Mercy Ships’ long-term engagement in Senegal is the Africa Service Center (ASC), which supports operations across the continent and strengthens coordination with national authorities and healthcare partners.
“The Africa Service Center embodies our commitment to being present, accountable, and rooted on the continent,”
said Dr. Michelle White. “Under Gilchrist Koutob, Managing Director ASC, it strengthens African leadership within our organization and serves as a support for our African crew. Through the generosity and warm hospitality of His Excellence the President of Senegal, the Africa Service Center is strategically placed enabling us to work more closely with governments and partners building sustainable surgical systems that are led and sustained locally.”
