The city of Saint-Louis took a decisive step in strengthening its urban resilience on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, with the validation of the diagnostic report of the study of the three Intercommunal Urban Planning Plans (PCUI). This technical workshop marks a major step forward in the transformation of this historic city in the face of climate challenges.

A consensus validated by territorial stakeholders and decentralized technical services

Meeting under the chairmanship of the Prefect, territorial stakeholders and representatives of decentralized State services in the Saint Louis conurbation participated in the workshop whose purpose was to examine the diagnostic report of the study of three intercommunal urban planning plans in Gandon, Ndiébène Gandiol and Saint Louis.

This workshop is organized as part of the Saint-Louis Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (SERRP), led by the Municipal Development Agency (Adm). After a day of intense work, the diagnostic report presented by the consultant was officially validated by the technical committee.

This validation comes after a preliminary examination by the Operational Technical Group (GTO), the pre-validation body before the technical committee. This phase represents a crucial step for the continuation of the project, which targets the municipalities of Saint-Louis, Gandon and Ndiébène Gandiol.

A city on the front line in the face of climate change

The context that justifies this ambitious approach is clear: Saint-Louis is among the Senegalese cities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, the historic city, located in northern Senegal at the mouth of the Senegal River and in the coastal zone, faces multiple threats: rising sea levels, coastal and river erosion, recurring flooding, and intensifying waves and gales.

These climatic phenomena add to the classic urban challenges facing Senegalese cities: the development of spontaneous housing, endemic unemployment, transport and energy problems, as well as pressing environmental issues and vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

The SERRP project: a strategic vision

This study of the three PCUIs is part of Component 3 of the SERRP project, led by the Ministry of Urban Planning, Local Authorities and Regional Development. This component is dedicated to "Strengthening urban and coastal resilience planning."

The three inter-municipal plans constitute the logical extension of the Urban Master Plan (PDU) and aim to clarify the recommendations of the strategic plan, with the long-term ambition of transforming the Saint-Louis conurbation into a more resilient, sustainable coastal city.

A participatory approach welcomed

The success of this workshop demonstrates the commitment of local stakeholders to a participatory and inclusive approach. By validating this diagnostic report, the participants laid the foundations for urban planning that takes into account the realities on the ground and the specific climate vulnerabilities of the Saint-Louis metropolitan area.

This collaborative approach ensures that the solutions proposed in later phases of the study will reflect the real needs of the population and the development priorities of the territory.

"The validation of the diagnostic report on September 30, 2025 represents an important step in the conduct of the mission and in the urban transformation process of the Saint-Louis metropolitan area. It paves the way for the development of a sustainable city strategy and concrete inter-municipal urban planning plans that will place climate resilience at the heart of the future development of this metropolitan area with its exceptional heritage, while ensuring its sustainability, its security as well as the improvement of the living environment and the well-being of its inhabitants," emphasized Amadou Diouldé DIALLO, urban expert at the Adm.