The National Flag of Senegal

The National Flag of Senegal or Senegalese flag, known as the drapeau du Sénégal in French, is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands in green, yellow, and red, with a five-pointed green star positioned at the centre. This flag was adopted in 1960, replacing the flag of the Mali Federation, and has remained the national flag of the Republic of Senegal since gaining independence in the same year. The current and former flags draw inspiration from the French tricolour, flown over Senegal until 1960.

During French colonial rule in Senegal, the colony was prohibited from using its distinct flag to prevent the rise of nationalist sentiments. Eventually, with the decolonization movement, Senegal gained limited autonomy within the French Community and formed the Mali Federation with French Sudan in 1959. However, this federation dissolved shortly after Senegal gained independence in 1960, leading to Senegal becoming an independent country with a new flag retaining the colours of the former federation but replacing the central design with a green star.

In 2004, there was public debate over potential modifications to the flag’s design, initiated by Moustapha Niasse. He suggested replacing the green star with a golden baobab on certain official documents, arguing for preserving national symbols against perceived threats to unity. This proposal sparked controversy and discussions about the sovereignty of the Senegalese people to decide on any changes to their national symbols.