Tokyo has released more than 52 billion CFA francs for the human resources development scholarship project, phase 2 of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) support programme and the food assistance programme for the 2022 fiscal year.
The Senegalese Minister of the Economy, Planning and Cooperation, Amadou Hott, and the Japanese Ambassador to Senegal, Osamu Izawa, signed on Thursday in Dakar, the exchange of notes and the corresponding agreements for a total amount of 10.474 billion yen, or 52.370 billion CFA francs.
The scholarship project for human resources development is a grant financed to the tune of 224 million yen, or 1.120 billion CFA francs. Its objective, after training in Japan, is to support the development of human resources, particularly young Senegalese civil servants, in the design and implementation of economic and social development policies.
The Universal Health Coverage Support Programme (phase 2), worth 10 billion yen (50 billion CFA francs), aims to improve the quality of services and remove financial barriers to accessing health services.
The Food Assistance Programme is also a grant of 250 million yen, about 1.250 billion CFA francs, for the fiscal year 2022. Japan intends to support the Senegalese government’s efforts to strengthen food security, particularly in the current context of a potential food crisis around the world.
“This important support is in line with the government’s priorities set out in the Adjusted and Accelerated Priority Action Plan (PAP2A) to achieve the objectives of capacity building for public servants, the development of human capital and raising the medical level, and food and health sovereignty,” explained Amadou Hott.
The Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation also signed with the Resident Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Morishita Hiromichi, two amendments extending the validity of important projects being implemented in the vocational training and health sectors.
The first amendment concerns the grant agreement for the project to improve the equipment of the Vocational and Technical Training Centre (VTC) to strengthen human resources development in the industrial field. This agreement should allow the reinforcement of the training capacities of this establishment for the development of human resources in the industrial sector of Senegal and the sub-region.
The second amendment, which is also a grant, relates to the construction and equipment of the Mother and Child Health Application Centre of the National School for Health and Social Development (ENDSS). Its students, those from other schools, as well as existing midwives and nurses, will be able to strengthen their skills in prenatal consultations, normal deliveries, post-natal consultations and newborn care, including vaccination.
“All these projects translate into action Japan’s commitment to Senegal’s journey towards emergence in 2035. It is a question of consolidating the achievements and maintaining the course of good performance despite the impact of the pandemic,” said the Japanese ambassador.
Dakar and Tokyo have built a solid relationship of friendship and cooperation for over 60 years. “This dynamic and exemplary cooperation can be offered as a model to other African partners,” said the Japanese diplomat. These Japanese funds should also help Senegal to move towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) whose political validation workshop of the voluntary national report on their implementation was held today in the Senegalese capital.
ARD/id/lb/abj/APA