As part of the fight against flooding and for better urban governance, the Municipal Development Agency (ADM), through the Stormwater Management and Climate Change Adaptation Project (PROGEP II), is organizing a vast training program for municipal councilors and territorial actors from 20 municipalities in the Dakar and Thiès regions.

A major challenge: recurring floods

Senegal is facing increasingly erratic rainfall patterns and rising sea levels, direct consequences of climate change. These phenomena have caused devastating floods in several areas, particularly in the Keur Massar-Jaxaay region, leading the government to activate the National Emergency Response Plan (ORSEC) in 2020 and 2021.

Faced with this critical situation, the Government of Senegal obtained US$155 million in funding from the International Development Association (IDA) and €7 million from the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) for the implementation of PROGEP II.

An ambitious capacity-building program

The problem of flooding is exacerbated by the insufficient capacity of local authorities in risk management and non-compliance with urban planning regulations. To address this concern, ADM has developed a training program targeting 1,114 local stakeholders from 20 municipalities.

The beneficiary communes are distributed in the regions of Dakar and Thiès, including: Keur Massar Nord, Keur Massar Sud, Mbao, Bambilor, Jaxaay-Parcelles, Sangalkam, Tivaouane Peul, Diass, Poponguine-Ndayane, Yene, Malicounda, Ngaparou, Saly Portudal, Somone, Sindia-Guérine, Fandène, Keur Moussa, Pout, Sébikotane, Kayar, Diender Guedj.

Clear objectives for sustainable urban governance

This training aims to raise awareness and strengthen risk analysis skills, as well as knowledge of legislative and regulatory provisions concerning urban planning and land development. It is specifically targeted at municipal councilors, with particular attention paid to members of the Land, Urban Planning and Land Development Committee, as well as female councilors and municipal employees.

The specific objectives of the program are to strengthen the capacities of territorial actors on the new Urban Planning Code, urban planning tools such as Master Plans for Development and Urban Planning (SDAU), Urban Cadastre Plans (PCU), Intercommunal Urban Planning Plans (PCUI) and subdivisions, to exchange with actors on administrative acts in urban planning, their uses and their consequences on spatial occupation and to raise awareness on urban planning easements and standards in land use.

A participatory educational approach

The pedagogical approach prioritizes a combination of theoretical presentations supported by visual aids and a participatory approach that encourages participant involvement through practical case studies. This methodology aims to facilitate knowledge acquisition and the exchange of experiences between trainers and participants.

The sessions will be led and supervised by ADM's urban expert, Amadou Diouldé Diallo, supported by experts from the Directorate General of Urban Planning and Architecture (DGUA), an institution whose expertise in urban planning is well established.

Towards enhanced urban resilience

This initiative falls under Component 1 of PROGEP II, dedicated to integrated urban planning and management that takes into account climate risks and urban sustainability. It supports the development of urban planning documents in several localities and aims to ensure strong buy-in from local authorities through a participatory and inclusive approach.

By combining urban planning tools, national regulations and local know-how, this training program aims to promote sustainable urban governance and better management of integrated flood risks in the peri-urban areas of Dakar and the cities concerned in Senegal.