International - 2026 May 12
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye co-chaired, alongside the Prime Minister of Mauritius, the high-level roundtable dedicated to the blue economy as part of the Africa Forward Summit.
Addressing his counterparts, the Head of State reiterated a truth that Africa will continue to uphold on the international stage: although the continent contributes the least to global pollution, it suffers more severely than any other region from the effects of climate change. In response to this injustice, the President put forward a clear principle: the preservation of the planet and the legitimate right of populations to prosperity and dignity must now go hand in hand, as inseparable priorities.
The Head of State illustrated this conviction through Senegal’s experience. The blue economy, as envisioned by Senegal, brings together three inseparable dimensions: environmental protection, economic progress, and the fair distribution of revenues generated from the exploitation of marine and river resources. In response to overfishing, illegal fishing, and mounting pressure on groundwater resources, several structural reforms have been undertaken, including the modernization of the fishing sector and the development of aquaculture, land reform and the organization of agricultural cooperatives, modern post-harvest preservation systems, and the promotion of eco-tourism. These initiatives are designed both to preserve ecosystems and to generate jobs and income for the Senegalese people.
The President concluded his remarks by reaffirming a principle that has become a guiding thread of his diplomacy: reconciling the preservation of the planet’s fundamental balances with Africa’s legitimate aspiration for development, by treating these two imperatives not as contradictions, but as inseparable and mutually reinforcing objectives.
