Senegal launches open dialogue platform for Mayors and the National Sanitation Utility to increase access to improved sanitation for all

Representatives of the National Sanitation Utility of Senegal (ONAS), Senegal’s Mayors Association and the City of Dakar have gathered this week to identify a collaborative approach for tackling poor sanitation in the region.

In Senegal, the involvement of all stakeholders is crucial to the implementation of effective and sustainable sanitation infrastructures. At a workshop organised by ONAS in partnership with Speak Up Africa, mayors, administrative authorities and technical service providers came together to define how they can work together to improve sanitation.

Throughout the workshop, attendees identified key collaboration avenues between ONAS and municipalities. Municipalities are responsible for ensuring the well-being and overall quality of the environment for their constituencies. Based on this guiding principle, ONAS insisted on encouraging local authorities and mayors to increase their involvement to improve sanitation conditions in their respective communities.
Both parties would like to establish a durable and long-standing collaboration, that will go beyond their usual work during the rainy season, including the implementation of key programs on the long term.

The meeting concluded with the creation of a national partners’ coordination mechanism, that will develop and guide the implementation of a multiyear action plan to move the country closer to reaching Sustainable Development Goal 6.2, which aims to “achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations, by 2030”.

Mr. Lansana Gagny Sakho, ONAS CEO, said: “Today we are delighted to bring together stakeholders from across the region to provide updates on ONAS’ activities and create a forum for us all to share learnings and successes from our work in sanitation. By establishing a plan to intensify local, regional and national collaboration on sanitation issues, I am confident our work here today signifies an important step towards achieving adequate sanitation for all.”

Mr. Oumar Ba, Permanent Secretary of Senegal’s Mayors Association, AMS, said: “We need to stop thinking about sanitation only during emergencies, in case of flooding during the rainy season. What we need now is for each municipality in Senegal, to develop its own municipal sanitation plan based on its own local context”.

Ms. Yacine Djibo, Founder of Speak Up Africa, said: “Today marks a big day for the sanitation sector in Senegal. Through this open dialogue between municipalities, the National Sanitation Utility and other key stakeholders, the country is now in pole position to launch its very first partners’ coordination mechanism. By working together more effectively, we will only benefit communities across Senegal.”