The publication of 101 Speeches of Hope – A Plea for a Better World – offers much more than a mere publishing event. It represents a moment of moral and political reckoning, a rare opportunity to revisit the career of a man whose trajectory, for over four decades, has been intertwined with the essential struggles for justice, human rights, and human dignity.

Master Sidiki Kaba is not a man of circumstance. He is a man of consistency. His public pronouncements, collected in this work, are neither opportunistic nor decorative: they stem from a structured vision of the world, founded on law, illuminated by humanism, and tested by action.

Trained as a lawyer, Maître Sidiki Kaba understood early on that the law only has meaning if it serves the most vulnerable. His commitment to human rights organizations, notably as head of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has placed him at the heart of major contemporary struggles: the fight against impunity, the defense of fundamental freedoms, and the protection of victims of political and institutional violence.

Having entered the service of the Senegalese state, Maître Sidiki Kaba held major sovereign positions, notably those of Minister of Justice, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Minister of the Armed Forces. In each of these roles, he left his mark: scrupulous respect for institutions, the rule of law, and the constant pursuit of a balance between authority and liberty.

Rarely has a public official so coherently reconciled the firmness of the state with the centrality of human rights. For Sidiki Kaba, authority is never synonymous with arbitrariness; it is framed by law, tempered by ethics, and oriented towards the common good.

101 Speeches of Hope also reveals a fundamental trait of the man: his demanding relationship with public speaking. For Sidiki Kaba, speaking is not about occupying space, but about assuming a responsibility. Every word is binding, every speech is part of an intellectual and moral continuum, far removed from the ease of instant communication.

What truly distinguishes Maître Sidiki Kaba is his ability to combine national roots with universal commitment. Deeply attached to Senegal, its democratic history, and its traditions of dialogue, he has never ceased to represent Africa's voice in international forums, with dignity and consistency.

His humanism is neither naive nor mere rhetoric. It is demanding, sometimes uncomfortable, always clear-sighted. He knows that human rights are never definitively secured and that each generation has a duty to defend them anew.

He is also known for his humility and his ability to work for the material and social well-being of his fellow citizens. In short, he is a very valuable asset to his country, Senegal, and to Africa.

With 101 Speeches of Hope, Master Sidiki Kaba does not seek to conclude a journey, much less embellish it. He transmits. He bequeaths a method, an ethic of commitment, and a certain idea of public responsibility, at a time when political discourse is weakening and civic trust is eroding.

In conclusion, Sidiki Kaba reminds us that true authority is not imposed by force, but is built by consistency; that power is only legitimate if it is put at the service of human dignity; and that hope, when it is backed by law and ethics, ceases to be a word and becomes a compass.

In a world often tempted by moral renunciation, this lesson is not incidental: it is essential.

Ibrahima Baba SALL

Former First Vice-President of the National Assembly

Member of Parliament and Mayor of Bakel