Dakar, Oct 9 (APS) – The port of Ndayane, under construction in this village in the Mbour department (west), symbolizes the ambitions of the Senegalese public authorities to make the maritime economy a lever for the country’s economic development, a- we learned on Wednesday from the secretary general of the Autonomous Port of Dakar (PAD), Mactar Diallo.
“Ndayane is really a solution to many problems, and I am one of those who think that the future of this country lies in the maritime and port sectors, so Ndayane is really the solution for the economic development of this country,” said -he said.
Mactar Diallo took part in the effective launch of major works on the multifunction port of Ndayane, an infrastructure located approximately 70 km south of Dakar.
“The work started in May 2023, but the major works are launched today, and concern the common maritime infrastructure and the container terminal,” specified the secretary general of the PAD.
According to Mactar Diallo, despite its “desirable geographical location”, Dakar has “more or less reached its limits”.
“Faced with competition from ports in the sub-region, a drastic solution was needed to face competition,” underlined Mr. Diallo.
The secretary general of the PAD, Mactar Diallo
According to port authorities, the new port of Ndayane, under construction by DP World, offers a “sustainable solution” to relieve congestion in Dakar and meet the growing needs of maritime trade in Senegal and the sub-region.
“The gigantism of this project will make Dakar a port and maritime hub. It’s a project in its entirety, we’re talking about intercommunality,” said Mactar Diallo.
The port of Ndayane, in its different components, extends over three communes, namely Diass, Yenne and Popenguine.
He announces that there will be, ultimately, during the construction phase, at least 1,600 jobs, around 22,000 jobs during the operation phase of the infrastructure.
“In addition to economic development, the Ndayane project will in fact be accompanied by an important social development component with the creation of health infrastructure, numerous community projects and above all a training center for port professions which can be a response to irregular migration,” continued Mr. Diallo.
DP World also plans the construction of an economic zone adjacent to the port and close to Blaise-Diagne international airport.
According to DP World, the port of Ndayane and the special economic zone should create 2.3 million direct and indirect jobs.
DP World Regional Director for West Africa, Alassane Diop
“In a developing country where young people brave the seas to go abroad, offering them opportunities not only for development, but for income, is a fundamental element in our choice,” explained the regional director for West Africa from DP World, Alassane Diop.
The commitment made by DP World is to find solutions to the problem of unemployment, according to him.
“We are going to give priority to the young people, to the women of this community, so that they have all the benefits of this major project with a maritime impact which will completely change the appearance of the Ndayane pole,” assured Mr. Diop.
He claims that this project, with a total cost of 1.2 billion US dollars, is “the largest private investment” in Senegal since the country’s independence in 1960.
A way for DP World to “show that the group considers Dakar as a flagship point in its development”, according to its regional director for West Africa.
Alassane Diop affirms that the work should last four years. But the Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, asked to shorten its duration, “as far as possible”, said Mr. Diop.
MFD/ADL/BK/MTN
