(L-R) Oulimata Sarr, Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation of Senegal; Franz Fayot, Luxembourg Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action; Credit: MAEE

On Wednesday 19 July 2023, Franz Fayot, Luxembourg Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, and Oulimata Sarr, Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation of Senegal, signed the fifth Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP V) between Luxembourg and Senegal, covering the period from 2024 to 2030.

The signature took place within the framework of the sixteenth Partnership Commission between Luxembourg and Senegal, which was held in Luxembourg.

Endowed with an indicative financial envelope of €154 million, including €14 million from the Climate and Energy Fund of the Luxembourg Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, the ICP V will cover a period of seven years by aligning with Senegal's priority development objectives. This will be the second Luxembourg Development Cooperation partner country in which a whole-of-government approach will be implemented, following the example of Cape Verde.

The ICP V will be structured around four priority areas, namely: health and social protection; vocational and technical training, employability and professional integration; water and sanitation from an environmental and climate change perspective; governance, coordination, monitoring as well as the inclusion of cross-cutting themes in the implementation of the new ICP. These cross-cutting themes are human rights, gender in its multidimensional aspects, inclusive governance and environmental sustainability.

In addition to the signing of the new ICP V, the Partnership Commission also gave the ministers the opportunity to take stock of the state of development cooperation relations between Luxembourg and Senegal, by taking stock of the projects carried out in the framework of the fourth ICP IV, which will come to an end at the end of 2023. Minister Fayot welcomed the partnership with Senegal and the progress made under ICP IV, particularly in the fields of health and professional training.

During the political discussion, which preceded the Partnership Commission, the ministers also discussed the political, economic and security situation in Senegal, deliberations during which Minister Fayot stressed the importance of respect for democratic values and the rule of law.