It's official! The Green City and Lake Rose project by the Casa Orascom group has been launched. The official launch ceremony, organized by Casa Orascom in partnership with the General Delegation for the Promotion of Urban Centers in Diamniadio and Lake Rose (DGPU), took place this Saturday, November 29, 2025, in Dakar, under the chairmanship of Mr. Momath Talla Ndao, Secretary of State for Urban Planning and Housing. It was held in the presence of the General Delegate of the DGPU, Mr. Bara Diouf; the mayor of Tivaouane Peulh-Niague, Mr. Momar Sokhna Diop; the president of Casa Orascom, Mr. Samih Sawiris; members of the public; and others.

A major 216-hectare project including a casuarina forest, modern infrastructure and a unique model of a green city in Senegal

The Green City Lac Rose project, led by Casa Orascom, is a major initiative in sustainable development, climate resilience, and urban innovation. It is approved by the State of Senegal and developed in partnership with its institutions (Ministry of the Environment and Ecological Transition, and the DGPU), guaranteeing its compliance with national standards and its long-term sustainability.

This is a major 216-hectare project encompassing a casuarina forest, modern infrastructure, and a groundbreaking model of a green city in Senegal. It includes 90 hectares of casuarina forest, 3 kilometers of private beach, 1.5 kilometers of shoreline along Lake Retba (Lac Rose), and 40 hectares of parkland and reforestation. Its first phase is planned to last five years, and its cost is estimated at over 700 billion CFA francs, which will be entirely financed by Casa Orascom.

Ville Verte is deeply eco-responsible, where every resource is valued: selective waste sorting, a circular sanitation system, wastewater recycling and reuse, as well as reforestation and greening programs that preserve the balance between nature and urban development. Indeed, this first green and integrated city in West Africa, nestled between Lake Retba (Pink Lake), the ocean, and a protected forest, was designed to meet everyone's desires and needs, offering a wide variety of residences.

Objective: "to promote and value adapted and eco-responsible lifestyles"

Faced with population growth in Dakar and a lack of sustainable and quality housing, Ville verte is committed to promoting and enhancing adapted and eco-responsible lifestyles, offering a unique living environment between ocean and lake.

The DGPU is responsible for ensuring controlled urbanization around Lac Rose and coordinating all actions of public and private stakeholders in this area. According to its Director General, this Green City project, which is the new beating heart of the Lac Rose urban center in Senegal, represents a new way of developing and inhabiting the territory.

Built around a model of local and sustainable economic development, Mr. Bara Diouf reports that Ville Verte represents a major economic dynamic, with nearly 10,000 jobs in construction, more than 12,000 permanent jobs in urban services, commerce and light industry, and more than 5,000 young people trained in construction trades.

"His ambition is clear: a new city designed to accommodate more than 100,000 inhabitants in a structured environment including nearly 10,000 diverse housing units, 400 shops and small businesses, local services, a public health center, etc., from the launch of the first phase of the project," he added.

According to the Director General of the DGPU, the project's social management plan affirms the integration of existing populations and encourages access to homeownership through tailored solutions such as rent-to-own. "We are building a resilient city that adapts to the climate and preserves an exceptional ecosystem," Mr. Diouf emphasized from the outset.

Through this project, the DGPU is directly responding to the wishes of the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who called for "an end to unplanned urban development and the design of balanced cities capable of offering better living conditions to the population while preserving the country's resources."

“Ville verte is the living symbol of this territorial refounding which places anticipation at the heart of public action. A city thought of before being built. A city designed to serve citizens. A city designed to serve the citizen and support local communities and protect a natural site which is part of Senegal’s heritage,” he argued.

In this regard, Bara Diouf reassured that the DGPU will fully play its role as planning authority to deliver a perfectly functional city within the agreed timeframe.

Finally, the General Delegate of the DGPU indicated that this launch is not an end in itself but the beginning of a territorial transformation whose results will be measured over several generations.

"The green city is not an option but rather an obligation, in the context of climate change."

The Secretary of State for Urban Planning and Housing, for his part, argued that the green city is not an option but rather an obligation in the context of climate change. "We are in a context where cities are getting hotter and hotter due to industrialization and transportation. That is why building green cities is a necessity," Mr. Momath Talla Ndao stated.

For the state authority, this Casa Orascom project, which will serve as a lever for the Senegalese government, will not be solely a project for technicians but for all stakeholders. "This project will not be just for technicians; the local population and communities will have a role to play because it is their living environment. And naturally, ownership remains a key factor for success that must be taken into account," he emphasized.

"The future of this project will make our community the most beautiful community in Senegal."

This Green City project will be implemented in the municipality of Tivaouane Peulh-Niague. The mayor expressed his delight that his town was chosen to host this project, which he believes has come at the perfect time. "As mayor of the municipality of Tivaouane Peulh-Niague, home to Lake Retba (Pink Lake), I know that the future of this project will make our community the most beautiful in Senegal," declared Mr. Momar Sokhna Diop.

He adds: “We are convinced that this project will allow us to better preserve the environment of Lake Retba. I say this because during the environmental impact study, more than 500 pages were made available to the local population and technical experts to ensure that this project could be carried out under the best possible conditions. This project will protect Lake Retba. This project will protect the casuarina groves. This project will allow the people of the Tivaouane Peulh-Niague commune and all Senegalese to fully enjoy the benefits of this environment.”

"Senegal has a young, dynamic and productive population."

The Casa Orascom Group designed this project with a clear vision: to meet the growing demand for housing and improve the lives of local residents. Since 2019, it has consistently believed in this area and its human and environmental potential. Its ongoing commitment, recognized expertise in creating new cities worldwide, and ability to offer innovative and scalable solutions have been key to making this green city a structured, ambitious, and credible project.

Thus, before unveiling the model to the public, the president of Casa Orascom reiterated the motivations behind his project in Senegal. According to Mr. Samih Sawiris, the land of Teranga (hospitality) has a young, dynamic, and productive population. It is also a stable country governed by the rule of law, where institutions are respected.

According to him, "Senegal has enormous economic potential which can lead to strong growth in the future and serve as an example for others."

It is worth recalling that, since 1989, Casa Orascom, founded by Samih Sawiris, has been developing cities and relentlessly realizing its vision, namely: to create sustainable cities, both residential and recreational.