SENEGAL-ECONOMIE
Dakar – Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has underscored the critical need for an overhaul of Senegal’s commercial infrastructure, pointing to the advanced state of disrepair and significant safety hazards prevalent in many markets across the nation. He has proposed establishing an autonomous administrative entity specifically tasked with their comprehensive management and development.
The Prime Minister observed that the condition of commercial facilities throughout Senegal is characterized by considerable dilapidation and substantial security risks, as detailed by government spokesperson Marie Rose Faye. A stark illustration of this crisis is the alarming statistic that between 2013 and 2024, at least 53 markets experienced one or more devastating fires.
Mr. Sonko’s assessment revealed a multitude of challenges impacting these markets, encompassing technical, infrastructural, organizational, environmental, and sanitary deficiencies, according to the spokesperson’s statement following the latest Council of Ministers meeting.
While acknowledging the progress made by the Programme for the Modernization and Management of Markets (PROMOGEM), the Prime Minister highlighted its strategic development plan for 2025-2029. This ambitious plan, as relayed by Marie Rose Faye, aims to restructure 528 existing markets and facilitate the construction of 67 new, modern commercial spaces.
To enhance PROMOGEM’s operational agility, budgetary efficiency, and capacity to attract innovative financing, Prime Minister Sonko advocated for specific solutions. He suggested an institutional transformation of PROMOGEM, envisioning it as an entity endowed with both administrative and financial autonomy. This restructured body would receive a substantial financial allocation of 57.5 billion CFA francs over four years, drawn from the state’s public investment plan.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister instructed the relevant ministers, including those overseeing Industry and Commerce, and Finance and Budget, to devise and implement a nationwide network of modern markets. He also stressed the importance of rigorous management for these commercial facilities, emphasizing collaborative oversight by territorial collectives and the national private sector.
