Senegal A reform-oriented and politically stable country
Located in the extreme west of Africa, Senegal has a long democratic tradition and is politically stable. Since the country's independence in 1960 it has enjoyed uninterrupted civilian rule and has a constitution enshrining the rule of law. Government policies are geared towards addressing matters in a practical fashion and carrying out reforms. Senegal pursues active peace efforts and pan-African efforts, which makes the country an important stabilizing force in the region and for the entire continent.
The current United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) ranks the Republic of Senegal 166th out of 189 countries. Power shortages, food crises, strong population growth and high unemployment are constraining the country's development.
Development cooperation
A long history of development cooperation links Germany and Senegal. In November 2019, a reform partnership was agreed between the two countries. The reform partnerships are Germany's contribution to the G20 Compact with Africa initiative. They are intended to improve the environment for private investment and thus create more employment. Sustainable economic development will therefore be one of the priority areas of Senegalese-German development cooperation in future. The second priority area is renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Two women on the coast near Dakar
German development cooperation with Senegal
As part of the G20 Compact with Africa initiative, Germany and Senegal entered into a reform partnership in November 2019. The German Development Ministry (BMZ) approved funding totalling 108 million euros for this partnership. 31 million euros of this amount will be used for Technical Cooperation and 77 million euros for Financial Cooperation.
Development cooperation focuses on the following priority areas:
- Sustainable economic development
- Renewable energy and energy efficiency
Germany is also providing support to Senegal through the African Risk Capacity Insurance Company (ARC). The scheme, which the BMZ is co-financing to the tune of 50 million euros, offers African countries climate risk insurance. In 2015, Senegal was the first country to receive a payout from this insurance, amounting to the equivalent of 16.5 million US dollars. In November 2019, the Government of Senegal received 23.1 million US dollars from ARC to compensate for drought-related crop losses.
Migration
Since 2017, Senegal has been a target country for the BMZ programme on migration and development. Advice is being provided on matters such as cooperation with the Senegalese diaspora, migration issues, and business start-up programmes. Senegal is also a partner country for the BMZ's Returning to New Opportunities returnee programme. In early 2018, a migration advice centre was opened in Dakar. Together with local projects under German development cooperation, the centre is intended to help returning migrants acquire vocational training and find jobs.
