Diamniadio, June 13 (APS) – The government aims to increase the overall access rate of vulnerable populations to sanitation to one hundred percent before 2030, the deadline for the relative Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), indicated Thursday, the Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dièye.
“The current overall access rate being 61.2% (…), our ambition is to go to 100% in the years to come,” he said, on the sidelines of the opening official, of the launching workshop of the Project to improve the governance of the sanitation sub-sector in Senegal (SAN-GOV).
The meeting held in Diamniadio brought together officials, local elected officials, deputies, specialists and experts as well as technical and financial partners.
“The challenges remain significant, especially in terms of sanitation, notwithstanding the efforts made in recent years,” he added, recalling that in 2022, “the rate of access to sanitation services was estimated at 71 .7% in urban areas compared to 52.6% in rural areas”.
”At the same period, he underlined, the overall access rate to sanitation was 61.2% while the average in sub-Saharan Africa is only 34%”.
”We have a very strong ambition that by 2030, when the international community will meet to evaluate those who have been able to achieve the objectives of sustainable development, we can say that Senegal is among the first in Africa and in the world to achieve universal access to sanitation,” said the Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation.
”We are already doing very well with initiatives cited as examples throughout Africa in terms of management and governance of the Sanitation sub-sector,” he reassured.
He noted that Senegal is today, ”at the forefront and is cited as a reference, thanks to the stakeholders, the expertise of official agents and the involvement of institutions, but also local authorities, the private sector , and civil society”.
He, on this occasion, reaffirmed his desire to support partners, stakeholders and assured his availability to work with them for the good of the sector which requires, according to him, “a trans-sectoral approach which mobilizes everyone” ‘.
”The solutions to be found cannot only be supported by official actors. There are a lot of innovations, grassroots ideas produced by communities that must be encouraged,” said Cheikh Tidiane Dièye.
The Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation also expressed his gratitude to the technical and financial partners who support the State of Senegal in its ambition to create an environment that can promote access for all to safe and secure sanitation. sustainable.
The sixth goal of the SDGs aims for universal and equitable access to drinking water, hygiene and sanitation by 2030, particularly for vulnerable populations.
SG/AB/OID
 – Senegalese press agency){kind=link}