An institutional workshop to disseminate and adopt the Climate Resilience Plan (CRP) was held this Tuesday in Saint-Louis, as part of the Saint-Louis Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (SERRP). Funded by the Government of Senegal with technical and financial support from the World Bank, this plan aims to reduce the vulnerability of coastal areas while strengthening urban and environmental planning in the historic city, which is highly threatened by the effects of climate change.

According to Amadou Diouldé Diallo, representative of the Director General of the Municipal Development Agency (ADM), the PRC is based on an in-depth analysis of five main climatic hazards affecting Saint-Louis: the advance of the sea, coastal erosion, marine submersion, land salinization and flooding.

"This study attempted to provide concrete responses to these threats to make the city more resilient," he said.

The plan, developed through a participatory approach, involved local authorities, local communities, technical services, and elected officials. Initially intended to identify ten priority actions, the process resulted in 25 proposals, ten of which were selected based on criteria of feasibility, impact, and urgency.

An in-depth study on the salinization of agricultural land, a phenomenon that threatens the livelihoods of rural populations.

The extension of the Gandiolais canal, a recurring request from communities to limit the effects of flooding and improve water drainage.

Capacity building programs for local stakeholders to improve climate risk management at the territorial level.

A participatory and multi-sectoral plan

For Abdou Khadre Dieylani Ba, deputy prefect of Saint-Louis, this plan is not only ambitious but also inclusive:

"This is a multi-sectoral and participatory plan that allows Saint-Louis to effectively prepare for climate challenges. We call on the entire population to take ownership of this document, to defend it, and to ensure that it is integrated into national public policies, funded, and implemented as quickly as possible."

Through this workshop, Saint-Louis demonstrates its desire to position itself as a model of climate resilience in West Africa, while emphasizing the urgency of acting in the face of rising environmental risks.