In the introduction to his communication, the President of the Republic emphasized the urgency of accelerating the modernization of transport in all its compartments following the conclusions of the States General of the sector. He asked the Prime Minister and the Minister of Infrastructure and Land and Air Transport to finalize the Government Action Plan for the modernization of land transport, taking into account, in the execution agenda, all constraints legal, logistical, administrative, fiscal and financial linked to the achievement of defined collective objectives. He reminded the Government, as part of the implementation of measures to improve road safety, of the need to adopt a special device for regulating the circulation of mopeds, in accordance with the highway code and the measures prescribed for the transport of people in well-targeted areas and localities.
Furthermore, the Head of State invited the Minister of Infrastructure and Land and Air Transport to intensify the process of renewing large aircraft, urban and interurban transport vehicles of all categories. He asked the Government to include the transport sector as a priority area in the deployment of incentives to promote the employability and decent employment of young people. In this regard, the Government must accentuate the development of professional training instruments (drivers, mechanics, etc.) and better security of “informal jobs” in the sector through the organization of actors, their adequate financing, but also the gradual conclusion of regular employment contracts, accompanied by systematic social security coverage. The mechanisms of the National State-Employer Convention and Universal Health Coverage must be used in this sense.
Returning to the “Xeyu ndaw ñi” Program, implemented since 2021 and which is experiencing major shortcomings, the President of the Republic asked the Prime Minister to undertake with the Ministers involved all the necessary due diligence for the evaluation and reframing before the end of March 2025 of the said program. The latter must evolve towards a new “Youth Employment” concept that is more efficient and highly integrative of all targets. This pragmatic review of the Program should allow a rapid reframing of its components and its sectoral objectives in terms of job creation and promotion of entrepreneurship through the optimization of allocated funding and the various income-generating activities.
The implementation of “Vision Senegal 2050” must give special priority to the development of maritime and port infrastructure. On this subject, the Head of State asked the Prime Minister and the Minister in charge of Maritime and Port Infrastructure to finalize, before the end of March 2025, the new maritime and port policy of Senegal, taking into account the maritime vocation of our country and the various projects received, in progress or in perspective. In this regard, he underlined the need, in terms of reforms, to update and expand the governance framework of public and private ports in Senegal but also to strengthen the National Agency for Maritime Affairs (ANAM), with regard to the new issues linked to maritime navigation. Furthermore, he asked the Minister of Port and Maritime Infrastructure to step up the modernization of ports and fishing quays. These establishments must benefit from an expanded modernization program across the national territory.
The President of the Republic also indicated the urgency of revising the partnership between the State and the Senegalese Consortium of Maritime Activities (COSAMA), as well as the need to establish integral national sovereignty over the management and development of the Dakar shipyards, with the strategic repositioning of the Naval Repair Infrastructure Company (SIRN), reinforced by the rise in power of the National Navy. In the same vein, he invited the Minister of Fisheries and Maritime and Port Infrastructure to proceed with the Minister of Finance and Budget and the Minister of Industry and Commerce, to evaluate and reorient the missions and activities of the Senegalese Shippers’ Council (COSEC).
Referring to the strengthening of relations between the State and religions, the Head of State reminded the Government of the central role of religious centers in the consolidation of national unity and social stability in Senegal. He reiterated his desire to raise these relations to a high institutional level with the upcoming creation, after consultation of all stakeholders, of the General Delegation for Religious Affairs.
In this spirit, he asked the Prime Minister to further engage the Government in accelerating the modernization of religious cities and the development of religious tourism.
Furthermore, the President of the Republic invited the Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs to take all necessary measures, under the supervision of the Prime Minister, in order to ensure a good organization of the 2025 edition of the Pilgrimage to the Holy places of Islam as well as the holy places of Christianity. He finally asked the Minister of the Interior and Public Security to ensure the proper preparation of the Magal “Kazu Rajab”, scheduled for January 27, 2025 and the 145th edition of the Appeal of Seydina Limamou LAYE, scheduled for January 30 and 31, 2025.
In his communication, the Prime Minister first reported on the progress and main conclusions of his visit to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania from January 12 to 14, 2025. He underlined the significant progress in cooperation between the two countries, in particular on files relating to the development of the GTA gas project and those of the fishing and land transport sectors.
The Prime Minister then welcomed the conclusions of the operational implementation workshop of the National Transformation Agenda “Vision Senegal 2050”, urging members of the Government to ensure strict compliance with the agreed timetable, in particular the validation of the list of priority programs, projects and reforms as well as the management and monitoring-evaluation systems. He insisted on structured management of change management, continuing training as well as the strengthening and enhancement of Study and Planning Units.
Returning to the need for careful monitoring of budgetary credits allocated to investment expenditure while awaiting the maturation of the priority programs and projects of the 2025 Roadmap of the 2025-2029 five-year plan, the Prime Minister asked the Minister of Finance and Budget, in conjunction with the Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation and the Minister, Secretary General of the Government, to submit to him as soon as possible, the list of programs and projects to be retained for expenditure to be incurred during the first quarter of 2025, with a view to their approval by the President of the Republic.
Finally, the Prime Minister informed the Council, as part of the measures to reduce the State’s lifestyle, of the new modalities which will henceforth govern the approval of missions abroad of State agents.
UNDER COMMUNICATIONS FROM MINISTERS:
• The Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs made a presentation on Senegal’s new digital strategy called “the New Technological Deal”;
• The Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture provided an update on preparations for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG Dakar 2026).
