Senegalese Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation El Hadji Abdourahmane Diouf accused the European Union of lying about the cessation of the fishing agreement, local media reported.
"Our friends in the EU organized a press conference to tell the whole world that they have decided to no longer sign the fishing agreement with the government of Senegal. This is an absolute lie," the minister said, as quoted by local media.
The official added that the terms of the treaty impoverish the fishermen of Senegal, then the country decided not to prolong it.
On Tuesday, the European Union announced that the fishing agreement that was signed in 2019 would not be renewed amid concerns of illegal activity, the media reported.
Since the signing of the pact in 2019, both European and Senegalese media have accused European vessels of overfishing species sought by Senegalese artisanal fishermen, resulting in unemployment and illegal migration.