His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, presided over the ceremony on February 21, 2025, to launch the Nianija Bolong Water Resources Mobilization Project (PROMOREN) in Koungheul. This ambitious project aims to improve the availability of surface water resources in the Nianija Bolong watershed.
PROMOREN, implemented by the Office of Lakes and Watercourses (OLAC), will annually mobilize 46.6 million m³ of fresh water, halt the intrusion of saltwater from the Gambia River, and develop 12,000 hectares of agricultural land each year. This project, costing 36 billion CFA francs, is financed 92% by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and 8% by the State of Senegal.
In his speech, the Head of State emphasized his commitment to profound transformation actions for our country, economically in general and particularly in the primary sector. For the Head of State, some of these actions imperatively require good water management to ensure the expected agricultural, pastoral, and fishery productions.
President Faye also highlighted the importance of this project, which is a strategic lever to secure the productivity of the central agropole and promote socio-professional integration, with the prospect of creating around 30,000 jobs.
PROMOREN will contribute to food sovereignty and the resilience of ecosystems in the face of climate change, thus facilitating the development of the territories in the peanut basin area.
Below is the full speech of the President of the Republic:
Only the delivered speech is valid
Mr. President of the National Assembly,
Mr. Prime Minister,
Mr. Minister of National Education,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Ministers and Secretaries of State,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Deputies and Elected Officials,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Mr. President of the National Jury of the Grand Prize of the Head of State for Teachers,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Governors, Presidents of Regional Selection Committees,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Representatives of Technical and Financial Partners,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Representatives of Teacher Union Organizations,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Presidents of Parent and Student Organizations and Civil Society Organizations,
Religious and Traditional Authorities, Dear Teachers, Dear Parents of Students, Dear Students, Honored Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The ceremony that brings us together today constitutes a solemn and privileged moment for the entire Senegalese Nation. It is about paying tribute to some of the most eminent figures within the teaching community; men and women who, every day, work to shape minds and illuminate our path towards progress. That is why I insisted on personally presiding over the award ceremony for the laureates of the Grand Prize of the Head of State for Teachers.
We all know that since Independence, teachers, like doctors, are among the first and most prestigious civil servants of our young Nation. Many of us, as simple students, had these teachers and professors as role models who conveyed much more than knowledge: they imparted their passion, their sense of public service, and their desire to elevate our country to new horizons.
Immediately after taking office, I addressed a letter, dated April 8, 2024, to all State agents, inviting them to continue to be "the guardians of our republican values, the craftsmen of our development, and the sentinels of our social cohesion." And I concluded with this exhortation: "Together, in solidarity, let us build the Senegal of tomorrow."
More recently, on the occasion of the first Conference of Public Administrators and Managers (CAMP) on January 20, I reaffirmed my esteem for "the constant commitment of all public agents, both civil servants and non-civil servants, whose daily dedication keeps the republican spirit alive." Ladies and Gentlemen, Who would be better suited than you, teachers, to root the salvatory, patriotic, and civic work of Jub, Jubal, Jubbanti, to which I invite all components of our social fabric, for the decisive change in our mentalities and behaviors, individually and collectively?
Who better than you, who bear the heavy responsibility of shaping the civic minds of tomorrow, can instill in future generations the principles of integrity, probity, and exemplarity, which are the basis of a stronger, fairer, and more united Senegal?
Your roles and responsibilities are even more significant in the context of the ongoing transformation of our educational system. This transformation is driven by several major innovations:
The New Initiative for the Humanistic Transformation of Education (NITHÉ),
The introduction of national languages in school as languages of instruction, thanks to the Harmonized Bilingual Education Model in Senegal (MOHEBS),
The learning of English from preschool and elementary levels,
The integration of ICT, and, eventually, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in pedagogical practices.
All these initiatives respond to the desire to build an educational system that meets the challenges of our time and the future. Teachers are therefore at the forefront of this endeavor, ensuring the quality of education and preparing our youth for a world in perpetual change. Ladies and Gentlemen, The just and prosperous Senegal we aspire to requires citizens deeply rooted in strong republican values, conscious of the common good and general interest, driven by deep patriotism and a love of good work.
That is why I have instructed the Government to proceed with the transformation of our education and training system, both in its organizational model and methods of action as well as in its curricula, to build a true educational society. The aim is to build an educational society in which all components recognize themselves and contribute to the formation of a Senegalese deeply rooted in its strong, endogenous, and African civilizational values, while being capable of meeting the challenges of the present and future of a continuously and rapidly changing Humanity.
In this dynamic, the revaluation of the teaching profession is imposed as a major imperative and a strategic lever at the heart of the national transformation agenda, as inscribed in the Senegal 2050 Vision.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The establishment of the Grand Prize of the Head of State for Teachers illustrates the Senegalese people's desire to magnify the multifaceted and decisive contribution of the teaching profession in the national construction effort.
By this Prize, the Nation acknowledges the immense efforts of teachers across the country. These laureate teachers are role models meant to inspire all our fellow citizens, especially the younger ones, by showing them that it is possible, but also essential, to work towards the progress of one's country, regardless of the sector, position, or function.
I urge everyone, in all our actions, to demonstrate professionalism, responsibility, generosity, availability, and above all, virtue.
Ladies and Gentlemen, This Grand Prize of the Head of State honors a teacher whose human, social, and professional qualities, dedication to work, and exemplarity in the exercise of their profession, deserve to be recognized and brought to the attention of the entire Nation.
In addition to the distinctions in the national orders, the Grand Prize of the Head of State for Teachers is an essential component of the motivation system for teaching staff.
I want to congratulate the President, as well as the members of the National Jury and the selection committees, for their rigor, their concern for transparency, and their professionalism, which have marked the entire process, from the receipt of applications to the final phase.
This edition, as is traditional, honors high-quality teachers who have distinguished themselves by exceptional merit in the exercise of their noble profession. Dear recipients, this republican ritual, in the presence of all components of the national community, the actors of the School, and your respective families, testifies, among other things, to the recognition by your superiors and the public authorities of your commendable efforts for the fulfillment of the fundamental right to education as enshrined in our Constitution.
That is why, on behalf of the Republic, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you.
Mr. Bara Mbengue, by presenting you with this Grand Prize of the Head of State for Teachers, we are not only acknowledging your personal merits but also expressing, through you, our gratitude to all the teachers of Senegal. You are the artisans of the future, those to whom we owe the training of future generations. For this, I say to you: THANK YOU.
Also, dear teachers, may you continue to inspire and guide current and future generations, and may your passion for teaching remain a beacon for all those you accompany on the path of knowledge.
In closing, I congratulate the Minister of National Education and his teams as well as all the school stakeholders who contributed to the successful organization of this ceremony. I also want to commend and encourage all categories of teaching staff in Senegal.
Ladies and Gentlemen, We are a nation founded on the principles and values of the Republic, whose mission is to guarantee, throughout the national territory, equal access for all to public services, particularly education. I urge the Minister of National Education to continue implementing the necessary provisions to this end.
Long live the Senegalese School! Long live the Republic! Thank you for your attention.