70 billion FCFA to strengthen climate resilience in Senegal

Additional funding of 70 billion CFA francs was approved by the Municipal Development Agency (ADM) as part of the Support Program for Communes and Agglomerations of Senegal (PACASEN). This effort aims to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to face climate challenges. This information was relayed by the APS.

The chief of staff of the Minister of Urban Planning, Territorial Communities and Regional Planning, Amadou Manel Fall, specified that this fund was allocated because of the “resounding results” obtained by PACASEN, which justified this additional support. This funding, in the equivalent amount of $110 million, will extend over a period of two years.

Thus, the climate orientation of this additional financing is highlighted to promote the territorialization of the fight against climate change, encouraging a local approach to meet environmental challenges. The PACASEN program, initiated in 2018 and benefiting 124 communities, aims to improve local financing and the management of public investments, with the support of partners such as the World Bank and the French Development Agency. Since its launch, it has had a budget of 130 billion CFA francs for five years.

Amadou Manel Fall highlighted the urgency of reconceptualizing climate strategies in Africa, where climate change has concrete impacts on the lives of millions of people. It also highlighted the need to adapt responses to the particularities of each municipality, which implies adaptation to local specificities and increased involvement of territorial stakeholders.

In this context, Mamouth Diop, director of ADM, insisted on the importance of developing relevant projects for localities, taking into account challenges such as flooding and coastal erosion. During the workshop, he signed several agreements with territorial entities to intensify the support provided to municipalities.