Senegal’s prime minister champions autonomous body for market modernization

SENEGAL-ECONOMY

Dakar – Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has underscored the critical state of Senegal’s commercial markets, citing their widespread dilapidation and significant safety hazards. He advocates for the establishment of an autonomous administrative body to oversee their comprehensive management.

Government spokesperson Marie Rose Faye confirmed the Prime Minister’s observations, noting that the current condition of commercial facilities across Senegal is marked by advanced deterioration and poses major security risks to vendors and patrons alike.

Highlighting the urgent need for intervention, Ms. Faye, quoting the Prime Minister, revealed that between 2013 and 2024, a staggering 53 markets have been ravaged by one or more fire incidents, underscoring the inherent dangers within the existing infrastructure.

Mr. Sonko’s comprehensive assessment of the markets has brought to light formidable challenges spanning technical, infrastructural, organizational, environmental, and sanitary aspects, as further detailed by the government spokesperson in the recent Council of Ministers’ communiqué.

While acknowledging the progress made by the Program for Market Modernization and Management (PROMOGEM) in this sector, the Prime Minister, through Marie Rose Faye, pointed out that PROMOGEM has already developed a strategic development plan covering the period from 2025 to 2029.

This ambitious plan aims for the complete restructuring of 528 existing markets and the construction of 67 new, modern commercial hubs, according to the government’s official statement.

Prime Minister Sonko has put forward solutions designed to grant PROMOGEM enhanced functional agility, greater budgetary efficiency, and an increased capacity to attract innovative financing mechanisms, Ms. Faye elaborated.

Specifically, Ousmane Sonko proposed an institutional transformation for PROMOGEM, envisioning its evolution into an entity endowed with full 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, he has instructed the relevant ministers, including the Minister of Industry and Commerce and the Minister of Finance and Budget, to collaborate on the design and implementation of a nationwide network of modern markets.

Mr. Sonko stressed the importance of rigorous management for these new commercial facilities, recommending a shared responsibility between local authorities and the national private sector to ensure their sustainable operation and benefit for the Senegalese economy.