The Council of Ministers met on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at the Palace of the Republic, under the chairmanship of the Head of State, His Excellency Mr. Macky SALL.
At the beginning of his communication, the President of the Republic once again extended his warm congratulations and best wishes to the Islamic Ummah on the occasion of the Maouloud, which celebrates the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Following his visits to various religious communities, the Head of State thanked the Khalifa General of the Tidjanes, Serigne Abacacar SY Mansour, the Khalifa of Medina Baye, Serigne Mahi Ibrahima Niass, the Khalifa of Léona Niassène, Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Niasse, the Khalifa of Ndiassane, Cheikh Bouh Sidi Mahtar KOUNTA, the Khalifa of Thiénaba, Baye Serigne Assane SECK, and the Imam of Léona Kanène, Serigne Babacar Kane, as well as all the faithful, for their warm welcome and fervent prayers.
The President of the Republic also expressed the deepest condolences of the nation to the Muslim community following the passing of: (i) Cheikh Mansour CISSE, the Khalifa of Pire, on September 26, 2023; and (ii) El Hadji Abdoulaye Karamba SOUANE, the Khalifa General of Medina SOUANE, on September 30, 2023.
Continuing on the 2023-2024 school year and the consolidation of the school of the future, the President of the Republic took this opportunity to extend his encouragement and best wishes for success to teachers, administrative staff, students, and the entire educational community.
The President of the Republic asked the Prime Minister and the relevant Ministers to take the necessary measures to ensure the smooth running of the 2023-2024 school year across the country.
In this regard, the Head of State reiterated to the Government the need to continue its already substantial investments in the sector and to strengthen the overall management of the Senegalese education system in order to establish transformation, social stability, and sustainable performance of the education system, which are crucial for achieving the objectives of the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE).
Furthermore, the President of the Republic indicated to the Government the imperative of strengthening the republican vocation of the education system to train, from elementary school, model citizens by generalizing civic education courses and promoting citizenship in the curriculum.
In this perspective, the Head of State urged the Government to focus on:
- Improving the living conditions in schools (with modern and adapted architecture, buildings, and facilities) and strategically managing the school network (in relation to the university network).
- Intensive digital transformation of the national education system.
- Vocational and technical training (with a significant reinforcement of guiding young people towards training and professions that meet the needs of the nation).
- Developing sports and artistic and cultural education in schools.
- The emergence and academic consolidation of excellence high schools and preparatory classes.
- The reform plan for exams and competitions (notably the Baccalaureate and the BFEM) in coherence with the school and university calendar.
- Evaluating the implementation of the eleven (11) decisions resulting from the Presidential Council of August 6, 2015, regarding the conclusions of the Education and Training Summit.
Turning to the end of the agricultural campaign and the preparation for the commercialization campaign, the President of the Republic asked the Prime Minister to conduct a comprehensive assessment halfway through the agricultural campaign in all production areas of the country.
Furthermore, the Head of State invited the Prime Minister, the Ministries involved, and the agricultural stakeholders to initiate the process of establishing collection, preservation, and marketing mechanisms for agricultural productions (especially peanuts), considering the level of crop development and the expected harvests.
The President of the Republic reminded the Government of the urgency to ensure the preservation of crops and accelerate the establishment of storage facilities for agricultural and horticultural produce.
Regarding the draft budget for the year 2024 and the preparation of the budgetary session, the President of the Republic asked the Government to take all necessary measures for the smooth running of the budgetary session scheduled for the coming days.
Regarding cultural infrastructure, particularly the Goree Memorial, the President asked the Ministers of Finance and Culture, in collaboration with the APIX, to examine the modalities for relaunching this major project.
On the social climate, the management, and monitoring of internal affairs, the President of the Republic addressed the following topics:
- Evaluating measures to combat the high cost of living: by requesting the Prime Minister and the Minister of Commerce, Consumer Affairs, and SMEs to finalize, before the end of October 2023, a comprehensive report on the measures taken by the government a year ago to improve the purchasing power of the population and combat the high cost of living, particularly through the regulation of prices of staple goods and rent control.
- Accelerating the implementation of rural electrification projects: by instructing the Minister of Petroleum and Energy to intensify the implementation of ongoing electrification projects, aiming for the rapid connection of numerous rural communities, as well as the deployment of Phase II of the solar streetlights program in priority municipalities and villages.
- Maintaining and repairing the road network: by instructing the Minister of Infrastructure, Land Transport, and Decentralization to take all necessary measures in collaboration with local authorities to ensure the maintenance of roads and repair heavily damaged infrastructures during the rainy season.
- Launching the awareness campaign for the fight against cancer “Pink October”: by asking the Government to support the success of cancer awareness activities during the indicated period.
In his communication, the Prime Minister reported on the coordination of governmental activities, discussing:
- The interministerial council on the start of the school year;
- The International Mining Exhibition;
- The meeting on infrastructure projects;
- The launch of the livestock vaccination campaign;
- The presentation of the national flag to the Deaf Football team;
- The monitoring of flood management;
- The status of the agricultural campaign.
UNDER THE TITLE OF MINISTERS’ COMMUNICATIONS
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad gave a statement on the 78th United Nations General Assembly;
The Minister of Water and Sanitation made a statement on the reform of public sanitation service management in urban, peri-urban areas, and large rural centers;
The Minister of Health and Social Action made a statement on the “Pink October” campaign; World Mental Health Day, and World Sight Day.
Under the title of legislative and regulatory texts
The Council reviewed and adopted:
- the draft budget bill for the year 202,
- the draft decree establishing the management and administration procedures of the Intergenerational Fund, the draft decree on the financial regime of local authorities,
- the draft decree repealing and replacing decree 2023-1696 of August 3, 2023, amending decree No. 2022-2308 of December 30, 2022, on the implementation of targeted financial sanctions related to the financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the amended draft decree implementing Law No. 2024-14 of March 28, 2014, concerning the manufacture, packaging, labeling, sale, and use of tobacco.
UNDER INDIVIDUAL MEASURES
The President of the Republic has made the following decisions:
Under the Ministry of Justice:
Colonel Abdoulaye Diagne, previously Chief of Logistics Administration Department at the Headquarters of the National Gendarmerie, has been appointed Director General of the Penitentiary Administration, replacing Colonel Jean Bertrand Bocande, who has been assigned to other duties.
Under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad:
Madame Ramatoulaye Bâ FAYE, Principal Counselor of Foreign Affairs, previously Ambassador of Senegal in Tunisia, is appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal to His Majesty Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands, replacing Mr. Momar GUEYE, who is retiring.
Mr. Cheikh Mouhamadou Bamba LO, Counselor of Foreign Affairs, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, is promoted to the rank of Ambassador.
Mr. Ibrahima CISSE, Counselor of Foreign Affairs, Chief of Staff to the Minister to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, responsible for Senegalese Abroad, is promoted to the rank of Ambassador.
Madam Dieynaba Touré BATHILY, Principal Counselor of Foreign Affairs, previously First Counselor at the Embassy of Senegal in Turkey, is appointed Director of Legal and Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, with the rank of Ambassador, replacing Mr. Kémoko DIAKITE, who is assigned to other functions.
Mr. Ousmane Camara NDIONGUE, Principal Counselor of Foreign Affairs, previously Minister-Counselor at the Embassy of Senegal in Portugal, is appointed Director for Europe, America, and Oceania at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, with the rank of Ambassador, replacing Mr. Paul Benoît Barka SARR, who is assigned to other functions.
On behalf of the Ministry of Interior:
Mr. William MANEL, Principal Civil Administrator, formerly Governor of the Kaffrine Region, is appointed Director General of Territorial Administration, replacing Mr. Mamadou Moustapha NDAO, who has retired.
Mr. Oumar Mamadou BALDE, Principal Civil Administrator, formerly Governor of the Tambacounda Region, is appointed Governor of the Thiès Region, replacing Mr. Alioune Badara MBENGUE, who has been assigned to other duties.
Mr. Guédji DIOUF, Principal Civil Administrator, formerly Governor of the Ziguinchor Region, is appointed Governor of the Tambacounda Region, replacing Mr. Oumar Mamadou BALDE, who has been assigned to other duties.
Mr. El hadji Bouya AMAR, Principal Civil Administrator, formerly Governor of the Louga Region, is appointed Governor of the Kaffrine Region, replacing Mr. William MANEL, who has been assigned to other duties.
Madam Ndèye Nguénare MBODJI, Principal Civil Administrator, formerly Prefect of the Louga Department, is appointed Governor of the Louga Region, replacing Mr. El Hadji Bouya AMAR, who has been assigned to other duties.
Mr. Mor Talla TINE, Principal Civil Administrator, formerly Prefect of the Dakar Department, is appointed Governor of the Ziguinchor Region, replacing Mr. Guédji DIOUF, who has been assigned to other duties.
Mr. Serigne Babacar KANE, Principal Civil Administrator, formerly Prefect of the Rufisque Department, is appointed Governor of the Sédhiou Region, replacing Mr. Papa Demba DIALLO, who has been assigned to other duties.
Under the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Cooperation:
Mr. Souleymane DIALLO, Economist and Statistician Engineer, previously Coordinator of the General Directorate of Planning and Economic Policies (DGPPE), has been appointed Director General of Planning and Economic Policies at the Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation, replacing Mr. Mouhamadou Bamba Diop, who has been assigned to other functions.
Under the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation:
Mrs. Awa Ndiaye DIOP, Civil Administrator, has been appointed Secretary General of the University of Sine Saloum El Hadj Ibrahima NIASS (USSEIN), a vacant position.
Under the Ministry of Trade, Consumer Affairs, and SMEs:
Madame Ndèye Oumou NDIAYE, a lawyer, has been appointed Secretary-General of the Senegalese Agency for the Promotion of Exports (ASEPEX), replacing Mr. Bathie CISS, who has been assigned to other duties.
Done in Dakar, on October 4, 2023 Minister of Commerce, Consumption, and Small and Medium Enterprises, Government Spokesperson Abdou Karim FOFANA
