The Casamance region, particularly exposed to the effects of climate change, coastal erosion, rising water levels and the weakening of ecosystems, has benefited for three years from the CEDAD project funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by the CEGEP de la GASPESIE et des iles.

The official visit of the Senegalese Minister of the Environment and Ecological Transition, Dr. Abdourahmane Diouf, alongside the Director General of CEGEP de la GASPESIE et des iles, Yolaine Arsenau, and the Head of Cooperation of the Canadian Embassy in Dakar, Caroline Albert, highlighted the concrete impact of the CEDAD project in the fight against climate change in the southern region.

Concrete answers to climate challenges

The project, endowed with 15 million Canadian dollars, has made it possible to develop infrastructure adapted to local realities: construction of Maltese groynes at Saint-Georges point to curb coastal erosion; provision of maritime patrol boats to strengthen the surveillance of marine protected areas and preserve biodiversity; creation of a women's processing unit to promote economic autonomy and reduce social vulnerability; refurbishment and upgrading of the Elinkine fishing quay equipped with a cold storage room to improve the preservation of fishery products in the face of climatic hazards.

For the Ministry of the Environment and Ecological Transition, these achievements reflect an integrated approach where environmental protection and economic development complement each other.

The Canadian approach: sustainability and community leadership

The head of cooperation at the Canadian Embassy reiterated that the Canadian intervention aims to equip communities to face the future. "This project illustrates the Canadian approach that aligns sustainable development, economic inclusion, and ecosystem preservation, while strengthening community leadership."

According to Caroline Albert, this strategy allows indigenous people to take ownership of projects and become actors in their adaptation to the climate.

Shared responsibility

Minister Abdourahmane Diouf welcomed the results achieved while emphasizing the need to maintain this momentum. “Bilateral cooperation has yielded significant results. But it is also up to the government and local authorities to continue and expand upon these efforts. The people must remain at the heart of our actions.” Furthermore, this cooperation will look to the future.

For the Minister of the Environment, the closure of the CEDAD project is not an end, but the beginning of a new phase. The infrastructure put in place and the training of communities constitute a solid foundation for building a Casamance more resilient to climate challenges.