Fruitful exchanges at FAMSI seminar on Decentralised Cooperation and Territorial Approach in Senegal

Participants deepened their understanding of the role of local and regional governments as agents of change within their own territories during the seminar on Decentralised cooperation and territorial approach promoted in Dakar (Senegal) by the Andalusian Agency for International Development Cooperation (AACID) and the Andalusian Municipalities Fund for International Solidarity (FAMSI) on 29 October 2024.

Participants also progressed in the development of strategic initiatives to promote effective collaboration, adapted to local needs. The diversity of perspectives brought together helped to strengthen the exchange of knowledge between key players in international cooperation, opening new opportunities for future projects and collaborations.

This seminar was held with the support and coordination of the Spanish Embassy and its Spanish Cooperation Office in Dakar, the Delegation of the European Union in Senegal, the DG International Partnerships of the European Commission, and the co-organisation of the Department of Decentralised Cooperation of the Ministry of Urban Development, Local Authorities and Territorial Planning of the Government of Senegal and PLATFORMA.

The opening of the seminar began with words of welcome from key representatives, including: Juan Antonio García García of FAMSI, the Association of Mayors of Senegal, the European Union Ambassador to Senegal, the Spanish Ambassador to Senegal, and the Director of the Ministry of Urban Planning, Local Authorities and Territorial Development. These speeches underlined the importance of decentralised cooperation in the Senegalese context and the role of local alliances in promoting sustainable development.

Emilio Rabasco Jiménez (FAMSI) and Jorge Téllez (AACID) then presented the specific objectives of the seminar, emphasising the need for structured dialogue between decentralised cooperation players and Senegalese local authorities, in line with the European Union’s territorial development policies.

Three thematic panels:

1. The European Union’s External Action and Bilateral Cooperation

This panel, moderated by the Spanish Cooperation Office, explored the priorities of European cooperation in Senegal and the resources available for local governance. Representatives from the European Union’s DG International Partnerships, the Spanish Cooperation Office, the French Embassy and the Italian Development Cooperation Agency presented the support mechanisms of European external action, as well as instruments to strengthen territory-based development and the role of local authorities in the framework of bilateral cooperation.

2. Senegal’s Strategies and Priorities

This area, moderated by FAMSI and a Senegalese decentralisation specialist, addressed the challenges and opportunities of decentralisation in Senegal. Representatives from the Direction des Collectivités territoriales, the Direction de la coopération décentralisée, the Centre national de la Fonction publique locale et de la Formation and the Direction de la Promotion Digitale et de l’Observatoire stressed the importance of strengthening the local civil service and municipal governance instruments to improve the efficiency and autonomy of local governments.

3. European Decentralised Cooperation and its potential in Senegal

Moderated by PLATFORMA Adviser – Policy & Advocacy Chahaiya Pilkington, this panel explored the added value of decentralised cooperation in the Senegalese context. Participants from European institutions and entities such as AACID, Cités Unies France, Fons Mallorquí, the Association internationale des Maires Francophones (AIMF), Fons Català and FAMSI shared their experiences on how decentralised cooperation can support local priorities and EU action plans, while adding value to development initiatives in Senegal.

Finally, the session concluded with a presentation on triangular cooperation between Morocco, Senegal and Europe, given by the Direction Générale des collectivités territoriales of the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior.