Of Senegal's fourteen Regional Development Agencies (ARDs), Yacine Tine is the only woman to hold the position of Director. A native of Saint-Louis, who has dedicated over a decade to territorial planning, local development, and the governance of local authorities, she sees this role more as a mission than a crowning achievement. Rigorous and committed, her career path is a source of inspiration. This passionate advocate of participatory planning represents a role model for young women aspiring to leadership positions in territorial development. Her ambition is to make the ARD a tool for territorial transformation, rooted in efficiency, innovation, and close collaboration with local authorities for sustainable development that serves communities.

Geography was her passion. This science of territory captivated her with its ability to connect territories to people, to understand social, economic, and environmental dynamics within space. Driven by a constant curiosity for the wider world, its landscapes, and its inhabitants, she didn't hesitate to take the plunge. After obtaining her baccalaureate (L2 series) in 2001, she enrolled in the Geography department at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. The turning point came from the realization that territorial inequalities are not inevitable, but realities that can be transformed through development, planning, and consultation. After completing a Master's degree (DEA) specializing in decentralization and local development, and enrolling in a doctoral program, also at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, she undertook internships at the Local Elected Officials Support Unit (CAEL) and the Directorate of Territorial Collectivities (DCT). In 2012, she joined the Regional Development Agency (ARD) of Dakar, climbing all the ranks before reaching the top ten years later. "I started as an intern at the ARD of Dakar, before becoming an assistant in planning and monitoring and evaluation, then head of the planning, training and good governance division. I then served as Acting Director, before being appointed Director of the ARD of Dakar in December 2022," she explains with pride.

Let the results speak for themselves

A geographer by training at the helm of a Regional Development Agency (ARD). Yacine Tine believes these two worlds complement each other. “Geography offers a nuanced understanding of spatial and human dynamics, essential for local development planning. Leading an ARD means translating this knowledge of the territory into concrete policies, plans, and projects. The two worlds complement each other: one analyzes, the other acts. I didn't want to be a mere observer; above all, I wanted to be an active participant, capable of directly influencing the choices of decision-makers or being at the heart of decision-making for socioeconomic development and loyally serving my country,” she explains. Being one of the few, if not the only, women to lead an ARD in Senegal is a source of pride for her. It also carries a great responsibility. “You often have to prove yourself to be heard in a still very male-dominated field. However, I've always preferred to let my results speak for themselves: rigor, competence, and vision always prevail in the end,” she emphasizes. Her career has always been guided by a commitment to supporting local communities, promoting socioeconomic integration, empowering women, and strengthening local governance. According to her, the Regional Development Agency (ARD) plays a catalytic role, assisting local authorities in coordinating and aligning territorial development policies within the region. "My priorities are to enhance the effectiveness of local authorities, promote a culture of monitoring and evaluation, strengthen the capacity of local authorities in good governance, and also foster the professional integration of young people and women through structuring programs like the PAIJEF," she affirms.

Managing a Regional Development Agency (ARD) that covers 59 local authorities in the Dakar region presents a major challenge for Yacine Tine. To succeed in her mission, Yacine relies on a competent technical team and rigorous planning. “Each year, we develop our Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB), divided into six-month, quarterly, and monthly schedules. A schedule is drawn up each week with specific activities in the local authorities based on their requests, allowing us to identify the support needs of each local authority and provide them with the necessary human resources,” she explains. She adds, “We also work with the Regional Technical Committee (RTC) under the Governor and in close collaboration with partners such as AICS, ADM, PNDL, and UNICEF, among others. I place great importance on the execution of each activity and the achievement of results.”

A rigorous and committed woman

Today, Yacine Tine believes, the main challenge lies in the heterogeneity of the technical, institutional, and financial capacities of local authorities. “Support must be adapted to local needs and realities, while ensuring regional equity. The diversity of stakeholders is an asset, but it requires significant institutional diplomacy,” she observes. However, she notes, logistical resources, which sometimes hinder the smooth running of activities, remain one of the biggest challenges. Similarly, there are insufficient human resources to cover 59 local authorities and ensure the implementation of anchoring projects, as well as a lack of certain skills such as geomatics specialists, cartographers, architects, IT specialists, sociologists, and so on.

After three years at the helm of the ARD, his greatest pride is having consolidated the agency's role as a strategic and indispensable player in governance and territorial development. He is also proud of having created better synergy between local authorities, state services, and technical and financial partners, and of having participated in the ongoing decentralization reforms (the division of Keur Massar, etc.).

Rigorous, committed, and sometimes "stubborn," as she describes herself, Yacine Tine fell under the spell of PACASEN, a project particularly close to her heart. "I was fortunate enough to be involved in the program from its inception, during the negotiations with technical and financial partners. I participated, albeit in a small way, in its design alongside prominent figures like Secretary General Wade, Yaya Sow, and Joseph Rodriguez, among many others. I was their youngest member, their dear little sister, and I was also involved in its implementation on the ground," she explains. Thanks to this program, she says, numerous local authorities in the Dakar region have improved their budget management, the quality of their services, and their community infrastructure. In this program, the ARD (Regional Development Agency) has played, and continues to play, a key role, primarily through Continuous Territorial Coaching (CTC) and performance monitoring. “In terms of impact, between 2019 and 2023, an allocation fund estimated at 26,537,460,339 FCFA was injected into the local authorities of Dakar. These funds enabled the completion of 383 infrastructure and equipment contracts, with 251 contracts completed to date, representing a completion rate of 65.5%. Thanks to PACASEN, the local authorities have improved their level of equipment with modern, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure,” she noted.

A source of inspiration and a role model

In her work supporting local authorities (decentralization, local development, training, planning), Yacine Tine is particularly passionate about participatory planning for the simple reason that it places people at the heart of development. “I love seeing how a community workshop can become the starting point for lasting change. It’s a time for complaints, certainly, but also for camaraderie. Indeed, it emphasizes co-creation between local officials, technical experts, and citizens to generate a shared and sustainable territorial dynamic. It’s the combination of strong political will (decentralization) with the mobilization and expertise of local stakeholders (local development, training) and the implementation of concrete strategies (planning) that makes the process so compelling,” Yacine explains.

For the Saint-Louis native, the position of Director of the ARD is far from being the ultimate achievement. She sees it more as a stepping stone. “Territorial development is an ongoing and dynamic process, and there is still much to be done. I see it more as a mission than a crowning achievement. I would like to be tested by other challenges,” she admits. Her wish for the Dakar region by 2030 is that this large metropolitan area will become “a truly developed, sustainable, and balanced hub, where each local authority will fully contribute to the economic and social well-being of its population.” And of her time at the head of the ARD, she would like people to remember that “Yacine helped make the agency a tool for territorial transformation, rooted in efficiency, innovation, and close collaboration with local authorities for sustainable development that serves the communities.”

Throughout her career, Yacine Tine has drawn inspiration from her mother and from all the African women leaders who have successfully combined family life, competence, integrity, and public service. Today, her trajectory commands respect. She represents a source of inspiration, a role model for young women aspiring to leadership positions in territorial development. Convinced that female leadership is not an exception, but rather a necessity for balanced development, Yacine Tine encourages them to believe in themselves, to continuously strengthen their skills, and never let anyone limit their ambitions.