Senegal now has its approved National Policy on Wetlands Management (PNZH). The policy document which has been developed by Wetlands International Africa was validated on Friday, July 24th, 2015 by the Head of State of Senegal. President Macky Sall chaired the high-level session that closed the first National Conference on Sustainable Development themed ‘’Sustainable Cities and Territories” which also recommends that Senegal’s PNZH be enacted as an Orientation Law to strenghten it’s implementation process. The expertise of Wetlands International is again recognized and magnified at the highest level.
The development process of Senegal’s PNZH started in October 2013 by Wetlands International Africa regional Office following a tender launched by the National Parks Department (DPN). The Wetlands National Policy Management was validated this July 24th, 2015 by His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal. The Head of State chaired the closing ceremony of the first edition of the National Sustainable Development Conference (CNDD), held in Dakar from 22nd to 24th July 2015 themed ’’Sustainable cities and territories’’. By validating entirely the PNZH without any reserve, President Sall, enables Senegal to now get a tool tthat promotes sustainable development.
The CNDD recommends that while enforcing Senegal’s PNZH as an Orientation Law, that two to three eco-geographic areas be selected as pilot sites, The conference also encourages technical and financial partners to support its implementation process.
The Wetlands National Policy Management seeks to ensure consistency between the various policies of production and conservation, to contribute to a sustainable use of these wetlands areas. It will help reversing the trend of conversion of wetlands to quasi sole purpose of agricultural production, mining, tourist developments, residential areas etc. at the expense of conservation activities of these highly vulnerable areas. In the current context of lust of wetlands, PNZH is a strategic tool that is part of a long-term vision, in accordance with the guidelines for economic and social development set by the government strategic development program called Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE).
The vision of the PNZH reads: ” By 2025, the wetlands ecosystems and resources associated with them are preserved, viable and sustainably used to provide goods and services necessary for the fight against poverty at local and national levels and contribute to the conservation of global biological diversity ”.
The cost of its implementation is estimated at eight billions, five hundred and ninenty three millions CFA francs (CFA francs 8. 593.000.000) for a period of 5 years (2016-2020).
With this validation of the Wetlands National Policy Management by the high-level segment of the CNDD, Wetlands International Africa’s expertise is recognized and magnified by the highest of the institutions in the Republic of Senegal.
It could be recall that the policy document has been already validated by the technical experts on 02nd and February 3rd, 2015 on the occasion of the World Wetlands Day.