Senegal has just taken a decisive step towards a more inclusive society. Under the chairmanship of Olivier Boucal, Minister of Public Service, Labor, and Public Sector Reform, two major agreements were signed in Dakar, officially integrating informal workers into the IPRES (Senegalese Social Security Institute) and CSS (Social Security Fund) schemes. This act, described as a "historic leap forward" by the Minister, corrects a "historic injustice" by extending social protection to a category of workers who represent 90% of the national economy, whereas previously only 20% of the formal sector workforce benefited from it.

The legal framework rests on two essential pillars. Firstly, a framework agreement now links the Ministry to the two leading social security institutions, IPRES and CSS. Secondly, a specific agreement has been signed between these two entities and the National Social Mutual Fund for Artisans of Senegal. This reform is based on the implementation of the Simplified Taxpayer Scheme (RSPC), thus laying the groundwork for universal access to social security benefits. In practical terms, informal sector workers will now be eligible for old-age pensions, family allowances, and workers' compensation coverage.

The benefits of this reform are numerous and aim for a profound transformation of workers' daily lives. According to Assane Guèye, Chairman of the Board of the artisans' mutual insurance company, the initiative is based on strengthening social security coverage, but also on a "major innovation": the simplification of administrative procedures. The objective is to guarantee a real improvement in access to healthcare, even in the event of workplace accidents. This inclusive approach is made possible by the technological advances achieved by IPRES and CSS, particularly in the digitalization and dematerialization of their operational processes, thus facilitating the enrollment of new target populations.

For Mamadou Racine Sy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IPRES, this integration allows Senegal to reach "international standards in terms of inclusion," emphasizing that this decision by the Head of State will contribute to the country's prestige. He assured that firm instructions would be given to the directorates general for the immediate deployment of the system, while adapting the procedures to the specificities of the informal sector. These joint efforts will allow future pensioners to benefit from a "guaranteed and reversible replacement income" as well as long-term health coverage.

Finally, Elimane Diouf, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Social Security Fund, advocated for a broad awareness campaign to encourage the public to embrace this innovative tool within our social system. This reform, which benefited from technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and German cooperation (GIZ), aims to foster a more inclusive Senegalese society.