The Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Kaolack (CCIAK) held its ordinary general assembly this Saturday, February 7, 2026. During this statutory meeting, the budget for the 2026 financial year was adopted, balancing expenses and revenues at the sum of 702 million CFA francs.

This new budget represents a relative decrease compared to that of 2025, which amounted to 866 million CFA francs. The session was held under the chairmanship of Serigne Mboup, head of the CCIAK, in the presence of Mamadou Abib Camara, deputy governor in charge of development.

During his speech, Serigne Mboup emphasized the dynamism and expertise of his institution, which is cited as an example internationally. He specifically mentioned the interest shown by foreign officials in the management model of the Kaolack fish market.

However, he admitted a structural weakness: "What we lack is good communication to show and popularize what we do."

The reasons for the budget cut: The port of Kaolack at the heart of the debates

The president of the CCIAK explained that the budget reduction from 866 million to 702 million CFA francs stems from uncertainty surrounding the management of the Kaolack commercial port. This infrastructure, a major source of revenue for the chamber, is the subject of discussions with the Autonomous Port of Dakar (PAD), which now assumes technical oversight, replacing the ANAM.

Serigne Mboup was keen to clarify that there is no change in the management concession, but rather an evolution in the technical oversight. "We are in discussions with all parties with the aim of revitalizing the port, not to take away the resources that the Kaolack Chamber of Commerce was drawing from the port and transfer them to Dakar; that would be contrary to the spirit of decentralization," he warned.

President Mboup also revealed that he had spoken with the Minister of Commerce about consular reforms. While expressing support for these changes, he advocated for addressing the "injustices" and inequalities affecting certain chambers of commerce.

He lamented that, due to a lack of implementation of reforms, chambers of commerce are currently operating at less than 5% of their potential. "We never tell the government to reform, but if you reform and then there's no implementation, it's doomed to failure," he concluded, reiterating that the CCIAK's mission remains contributing to the economic and social development of the region rather than seeking profit.