In Bergamo, Italy, the Bergamo Economic Forum (11‐13 September 2026) was the scene of a strong moment of spiritual diplomacy and economic reflection. Guest of honour and sponsor of the event, the Khalife General of Bambilor Thierno Amadou Ba delivered a message of rare depth, calling to put human dignity at the heart of growth models.
In front of an assembly composed of African and European authorities, including former Senegalese minister Maimouna Diheye, MP Awa Dione, and representatives of FODEM, FONGIP and SN HLM, the religious guide advocated for an economy based on solidarity, responsibility and sharing.
His intervention marked the minds by the force of the verb and the clarity of the vision: that of a social and solidarity economy (ESS) built as a bulwark against poverty and exclusion.
Human before profit: an ethical leap in the face of market drifts
In a world where global growth coexists with persistent inequalities, Khalife has invited decision makers to collective introspection. For him, the economy cannot be reduced to a mechanism of profit: it must become again a science of dignity and the common good.
His plea does not reject the creation of wealth, but redefines its aims: to replace cooperation with exclusion, social value with immediate gain, and solidarity with indifference. This ethical approach paves the way for an inclusive economy where young people and women entrepreneurs become central players in development.
Senegalese diaspora: strategic lever for co-development
Another major focus of his intervention is the enhancement of the role of the Senegalese diaspora. Khalife greeted these « national development actors » and urged them to structure their resources around sustainable community projects.
Objective: turning expatriate savings into productive investments, job creators and local growth generators.
This message is part of a vision of pragmatic religious diplomacy, where faith becomes the engine of transnational civic and economic engagement.
Public-private and international convergence for the common good
The Bergamo Forum illustrated the power of dialogue between spirituality, public action and international solidarity. The presence of institutions such as Caritas Bergamo, the Red Cross represented by Enzo Kenzi, and the Pangea Association of Morocco gave birth to an unprecedented coalition.
This synergy between religious, state and civil actors outlines a new model of co-development, based on peace, cooperation and shared responsibility.
By placing spirituality at the service of the economy, the Bambilor Khalife recalls that diplomacy can also be moral and inclusive, able to reconcile ethics and performance.
The Bergamo Economic Forum will thus have devoted a bold vision: that of an economy with a human face, carried by faith, diaspora and international cooperation.
In a world in search of meaning, religious diplomacy affirms itself as an instrument of transformation, capable of linking peoples around a common ideal, that of solidarity development.
Mamadou SY
