Continuation and conclusion of Franck Riester’s visit to Senegal on Tuesday 1 June before a second stage in Côte d’Ivoire. In Dakar, the French Minister for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness emphasized the partnership between the private sectors of the two countries. The Minister met especially young digital entrepreneurs.
as reported from Dakar, Charlotte idrac
A virtual reality headset to perform physicochemical experiments in school, a waste collection platform, satellite images to identify farmers’ water needs … In turn, young entrepreneurs presented their projects. They are the core of the relationship that France wants to link to the continent, according to Franck Riester.
“France’s President’s strategy is to support Senegalese and African civil society, in particular by supporting everything that makes the dreams of young people possible, in particular through entrepreneurship,” stressed Minister Franck Riester.
An outspoken desire for “renewal”, while a majority of Senegalese in a recent Afrobarometer survey questioned -57% – consider France’s political and economic influence to be “negative” (against 17% for the US or China)). But Papa Amadou Sarr, director general of DER – the rapid entrepreneurship delegation, which funds the projects – does not believe it.
“France is today Senegal’s first trading partner, there is no anti-French feeling in Senegal at all. What we do, DER, is supported by France and in a winning partnership between Senegal and France for the future of young Senegalese start-ups and entrepreneurs, says Papa Amadou Sarr.
“What counts is the actions,” adds Franck Riester and a “long-term partnership.”
And as for the TER project (Regional Express Train) involving French companies, inaugurated by President Macky Sall in January 2019, but still not working, Franck Riester assured that “everything was done” for commissioning in November 2021, a goal announced by the Senegalese head of state.
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