Tag Archives: Islamic Development Bank

Agriculture, AMA

Senegal Launches AgriConnect Compact to Transform its Agriculture Sector

MaraviPost

Washington, USA, 11 February 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Senegal, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the AgriConnect Senegal Compact. This strategic initiative aims to transform the country’s agri-food systems and improve food security for millions of Senegalese.

Aligned with the Senegal National Agenda for Transformation 2050 and the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025-2034), the AgriConnect Pact is a harmonized implementation mechanism mobilizing the Government of Senegal and the World Bank Group – through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) – as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector and producer organizations.

The initiative focuses on three priority value chains: grains, horticulture, and livestock. It is based on three axes: (i) making structural investments in agricultural infrastructure and services; (ii) revising sectoral policies to improve the business environment; and (iii) encouraging more private investment to spur innovation and competitiveness.

By 2029, the AgriConnect Compact aims to achieve more than 90% food security at the national level and create 800,000 formal jobs in the agricultural sector. Among the objectives set are an increase in the cereal coverage rate from 48% to 78%, rice self-sufficiency to 64%, and the establishment of 100 community-based agricultural cooperatives across the country.

In addition to its strategic orientation, this ambition represents a significant shift in the design, coordination, and implementation of national agricultural and food policies.

“AgriConnect is a model platform for structuring a pipeline of projects related to the National Transformation Agenda. Thanks to sector program contracts that involve all stakeholders, it aims to achieve the expected impacts of the Senegal Vision 2050, which is sovereign, just and prosperous,” said Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, Minister of State to the President of the Republic, in charge of monitoring, steering and evaluating the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation. “This platform embodies the strategic coherence sought in the structuring of sectors, engines of sustainable growth. The highest government authorities attach particular importance to results-based management during the implementation of these multisectoral programs. Thus, it is expected that the stakeholders in this initiative will aim for operational efficiency to improve the well-being of the population.”

The partnership is part of a national dynamic, which places food sovereignty at the heart of the country’s transformation agenda.

“The AgriConnect Pact aims to concretely transform the lives of our populations,” said Mabouba Diagne, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock. “These are families that will be able to better feed their children, farmers who will see their incomes increase and stabilize, young people who will find jobs and a future in modern and profitable agriculture. This direct improvement in living conditions, both in our countryside and in our cities, will guide our implementation with the World Bank Group, our partners, and the private sector.”

The World Bank Group is committed to supporting Senegal in translating its goals into lasting impacts for its people.

“What drives us in AgriConnect is the belief that Senegalese agriculture can feed Senegal, create opportunities for its youth, and become an engine of shared prosperity,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa. “Through the coordinated action of IDA, IFC and MIGA, we want to catalyze a dynamic where public and private investment converge towards a single objective: to make food sovereignty and jobs a tangible and lasting reality for every Senegalese.”

The governance of the Pact is ensured by the Minister of State, responsible for monitoring the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation, with operational implementation entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock via its ” Delivery Unit “. A joint steering committee will be established for planning, coordination and monitoring with the support of the Technical Group of Partners (GTP).

The Compact was developed in consultation with the following technical and financial partners: the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the French Development Agency (AFD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Kingdom of the Netherlands, MasterCard Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Word Bank Group.

Contacts
At the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock of Senegal:
Penda Mbow,
(221) 77 274 52 37
mbowpendarts@gmail.com

At the World Bank Group in Dakar:
Seydina Alioune Djigo,
+221 77 442 66 70
sdjigo@worldbankgroup.org

The post Senegal Launches AgriConnect Compact to Transform its Agriculture Sector appeared first on African Media Agency.

Lifestyle

What is Sidi Ould Tah’s Vision for the AfDB?

Maravi Post Reporter

As the elections for the presidency of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approach, scheduled for May 29 in Abidjan, one of the notable candidates is Sidi Ould Tah, former Mauritanian minister and former Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).

With extensive experience in public finance and development, Ould Tah has presented a vision to strengthen the AfDB’s role in the growth and development of the African continent.

A Career Dedicated to Africa’s Development

Sidi Ould Tah’s career has been built around several key roles in both African and international institutions. Holding a PhD in Economics from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, he has worked with the Islamic Development Bank, the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development, and as Mauritania’s Minister of Economy and Finance. In 2015, he was appointed Director General of BADEA, where he oversaw significant transformation, increasing the bank’s assets from $4 billion to nearly $7 billion.

His tenure at BADEA is marked by a special focus on Africa’s economic integration and long-term development strategies aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. These experiences, he explains, give him a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities the continent faces.

Sidi Ould Tah’s Vision for the AfDB

In a recent interview, Ould Tah outlined his key priorities in the event of his election to the presidency of the African Development Bank. His vision is based on four main areas:

  1. Increasing Funding Mobilization: Ould Tah emphasizes the importance of optimizing financial resources. His goal is to multiply the impact of every dollar invested, turning it into ten dollars for Africa’s development.

  2. Reforming Africa’s Financial Architecture: He advocates for better coordination between African financial institutions to increase effectiveness and synergies in development efforts.

  3. Harnessing Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Ould Tah sees the continent’s youth as a major asset. He believes that leveraging the potential of Africa’s young people will be a key driver of economic prosperity.

  4. Building Resilient Infrastructure: A central element of his plan is to invest in sustainable infrastructure projects that can withstand the challenges of climate change while creating long-term economic value.

The Importance of Infrastructure and Economic Integration

Ould Tah also highlighted the crucial role of infrastructure development in facilitating economic integration across the continent. He referred to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a key step toward reducing intra-African trade barriers but noted that infrastructure gaps, particularly in transportation and energy, continue to hinder the full realization of AfCFTA’s potential.

“Today, to move a container from Mombasa in Kenya to Dakar in Senegal, the only possible route is maritime. We need to develop land corridors and explore other forms of transport such as waterways,” he said. He also advocated for increased electrification across the continent to support industrial growth.

Addressing Climate and Security Challenges

Climate change is also one of Ould Tah’s priorities. While some skeptics doubt the feasibility of green industrialization in Africa, Ould Tah believes that the continent can succeed by adopting an energy mix, combining renewable energy sources and conventional energy to meet its needs.

“We must use all available energy resources to support economic growth,” he asserted, emphasizing that Africa is the continent contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, thus presenting a unique opportunity to reconcile industrialization and sustainable development.

Finally, Ould Tah considers security and development to be closely linked. He insists that the AfDB’s efforts must take into account the stability of fragile states and work to create conditions conducive to peace, in order to strengthen the foundations for sustainable development.

“Security and development are inseparable. To reduce the risks of conflict and instability, the AfDB must focus on creating solid foundations for sustainable development, especially in fragile countries,” he explained.

A Decisive Election for the Future of the AfDB

With five candidates in the running for the presidency of the African Development Bank, the competition is expected to be particularly fierce this year. In addition to Sidi Ould Tah, the other candidates are: Amadou Hott, Senegal’s Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation, and former AfDB official; Samuel Munzele Maimbo, Zambian expert in development and infrastructure financing; Abbas Mahamat Tolli, Governor of the Central Bank of Chad; and finally, Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala, a key figure in the South African financial sector and former Deputy Director-General of the African Development Bank.

The results of this election will mark a decisive step for the future of the African Development Bank, a key institution in the continent’s development efforts.

Source: Africanews

https://video.euronews.com/mp4/ED/14/46/38/04/ED_PYR_1446384_20250510060720.mp4
Development, Regional

Senegal: African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank fund livestock project to improve animal product quality

MaraviPost

The project will help improve food security, nutrition and public health among Senegal’s rural and urban populations by establishing a control system for food products of animal origin to ensure product safety

DAKAR, Senegal, June 10, 2024/ — Partners in the first phase of Senegal’s five-year National Integrated Livestock Development Program (French acronym PNDIES-P1) met on 28 May. Workshop participants included Senegal’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, the African Development Bank (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The project three project components — animal productivity, products and product processing, animal product marketing and skill enhancement, and project coordination and management — will help make the country’s livestock sector more competitive and sustainably increase employment opportunities for young people and women in livestock value chains. It will do so by sustainably increasing livestock productivity and production. improving the processing and marketing of animal products, and raising skills levels industry wide.

Phase 1 of the project represents an investment of 78.60 million euros, of which the AfDB provides 39.30 million, the IDB 39 provides million euros and 300,000 euros come from the Global Climate Centre (GCA).

It will be implemented in the regions of Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Louga, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kolda, Sédhiou, Thiès and Ziguinchor and directly benefit at least 32,000 people working in livestock value chains, including 16,000 women and young people. A further 950,000 people (51% of whom are women) will receive indirect benefits.

More generally, the project will help improve food security, nutrition and public health among Senegal’s rural and urban populations by establishing a control system for food products of animal origin to ensure product safety. Veterinary services will be redeployed across the country and regional laboratories will be built or renovated to will help eliminate unofficial slaughtering and improve the hygiene and safety of animal products.

During the project’s two-year participatory, holistic and inclusive design phase, the technical departments of the relevant ministries were involved along with organisations involving farmers and processors, women and youth groups, other civil society actors, the private sector and technical and financial partners.

Opening the workshop, Ousmane Mbaye, Secretary General of the Senegalese Ministry of Agriculture, stressed the importance of the program for achieving food sovereignty and self-sufficiency in animal products. He acknowledged the support of the African Development Bank and thanked it on behalf of the Senegalese government for “its constant support to the livestock sector.”

Hatem Fellah, representing Mohamed Cherif, head of the AfDB country office in Senegal, praised the energetic cooperation among the three financing parties — AfDB, IDB and GCA — and the Senegalese government. He emphasised the importance that the African Development Bank attaches to the program’s efficient implementation and ultimate success, adding that the Bank will do all it can to support the work of the Ministry’s teams during program implementation.

As of 25 April 2024, the active portfolio of AfDB Group in Senegal comprised 39 operations with financing of around 2.5 billion euros. The agricultural sector accounts for 21% of the total amount, behind transport (30%), finance (15%), governance (10%), energy (8%), water and sanitation (7%), industry (4%), social (3%) and communication (2%).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).