SENEGAL’S President Macky Sall told a “national dialogue” forum that elections will be held before the rainy season begins in July, and confirmed his commitment to leave office before his mandate ends in April on Monday.

But the election’s 16 candidates refused to take part in the forum, insisting that an election date must be set as soon as possible in line with a court order earlier this month.

President Sall, who has said that he wouldn’t run again after his two terms in office, had postponed the election for 10 months while citing unresolved disputes over who could run.