The two countries have signed in Dakar two agreements worth a total of 4.65 billion CFA francs for the Dakar port rehabilitation project and the emergency programme in response to the Covid-19 crisis.
By Abdourahmane Diallo
The Senegalese Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Amadou Hott, and the Japanese Ambassador to Senegal, Arai Tatsuo signed the agreements.
“I am pleased to note that the additional financing of 2.80 billion CFA francs for the project to renovate the Port of Dakar’s Pier 3 will bring Japan’s total contribution to 21.935 billion CFA francs,” Mr. Hott said.
According to him, the agreement on the project to rehabilitate Pier 3 of the Port of Dakar will allow the re-launch of suspended works.
He added that the impacts will be significant on the competitiveness of the port, especially within the context of the recovery of the post-Covid-19 economy.
“The port must update its facilities and increase its competitiveness in order to increase its turnover, with a view to consolidating the role it plays in the development of foreign trade in Senegal and the sub-region,” he pointed out.
“The rehabilitation of the mole 3 of the port of Dakar is a flagship project of Senegal in the field of quality infrastructures,” said the Japanese ambassador in Dakar.
According to him, the project will expand and facilitate logistics for Mali, while contributing to the sustainable growth of Senegal and strengthen connectivity.
With regard to the emergency support programme in response to the Covid crisis, amounting to more than two billion CFA francs, the Minister of Economy stressed that it will make it possible to provide equipment related to the cold chain, the construction of warehouses for vaccines, pharmaceutical products etc.
Mr. Arai Tatsuo also maintained that the agreement signed on the emergency programme for the response to the Covid-19 crisis will make vaccines available throughout Senegal.
He recalled that the two agreements are part of the implementation of the pillars of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), which remains “an economy through investment in quality infrastructure.”
ARD/te/fss/as/APA