In Saint-Louis, the Minister of Urban Planning, Moussa Bala Fofana, inaugurated several infrastructure projects completed as part of the SERRP project, financed by the World Bank. Social housing, a health post, a modern market, and community facilities have been made available to vulnerable populations on the Langue de Barbarie peninsula affected by coastal erosion.

The Minister of Urban Planning, Local Authorities and Territorial Development, Moussa Bala Fofana, inaugurated several key infrastructure projects in Saint-Louis this Saturday. These projects were completed as part of the Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (SERRP). Led by the Municipal Development Agency under the direction of Dr. Mamouth Diop and financed by the World Bank, this program represents a total investment of 16.5 billion CFA francs for vulnerable populations in the Langue de Barbarie region.

The ceremony was marked by the handing over of keys to social housing to beneficiaries, as well as the inauguration of a health post, a modern market, and several community facilities in Diougop. According to the minister, these projects constitute "a concrete response from the State to the legitimate expectations of populations affected by coastal erosion and the effects of climate change."

Faced with the consequences of rising sea levels and the erosion that has threatened the Langue de Barbarie for several years, the State of Senegal has chosen "anticipation, resilience, and solidarity," stated Moussa Bala Fofana. He reiterated that the SERRP project aims to protect exposed populations, restore the livelihoods of displaced households, and build resilient territories.

The minister revealed that the program's projections ultimately include the construction of 436 social housing units. To date, 304 units have already been completed, in addition to the health center, the modern market, and community infrastructure. The dwellings, divided into several categories—ground floor, ground floor plus one, and ground floor plus two—include kitchens, bathrooms, patios, and family spaces.

Regarding the resettlement of affected populations, Moussa Bala Fofana indicated that the operations undertaken since August 2021 have achieved a 97% settlement rate. Of the 434 concessions concerned, 411 have already been the subject of an agreement with the beneficiaries.

The newly inaugurated health post and maternity ward were built on an area of 1,700 m². In total, nearly 16 billion CFA francs were mobilized for infrastructure, equipment and services, not including resources allocated for compensation.

The minister also commended the efforts of the new Senegalese authorities to improve governance and accelerate the implementation of major infrastructure projects. "The state is a continuous entity," he stated, emphasizing the need to complete projects that benefit the population while strengthening transparency and efficiency in the management of public resources.

In this context, the government is already preparing a second phase of intervention in Saint-Louis. Several housing and urban development projects are expected to be launched in the coming months to increase the housing supply, improve public facilities, and promote better-planned urban development.

The minister specifically mentioned the "City 9-2" project, which plans the development of 700 plots of land, more than 300 of which are already serviced, with a provisional program of 300 R+3 type housing units intended in particular for civil servants, military personnel and teachers.

Moussa Balla Fofana finally paid tribute to the Municipal Development Agency, the technical and financial partners as well as the beneficiary populations for their involvement in this project which he considers as "an important step in the construction of a sovereign, just and prosperous Senegal".

According to him, this initiative illustrates the authorities' desire to make Saint-Louis "a pilot territory in terms of sustainable development, climate resilience and sovereign housing".