In a major blow to press regulation in Senegal, CORED—the agency charged with upholding ethics and professional standards in journalism—has announced the temporary closure of all its offices due to lack of funding.

According to CORED, the state has failed to release the operating budgets needed for it to function, effectively halting its activities. The development marks another chapter in the mounting strain between the media and the new administration, which took office in April 2024.

Since the transition, journalists and press unions have raised concerns over tightened controls and a wave of reforms affecting freedom of expression. CORED’s General Secretary, Ousmane Dia, says the agency’s closure underscores a broader crisis in the media sector.