The President of the Republic, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, presided this Tuesday, October 7, 2025, over the opening ceremony of the 2nd edition of the Invest in Senegal Forum (Fii Senegal 2025) at the Abdou Diouf International Conference Center (CICAD) in Diamniadio, held under the theme: “Connecting Opportunities, Building the Future.”
This major international gathering brought together several Heads of State and Government, representatives of partner institutions, and more than 3,000 participants from various backgrounds. Upon his arrival, the Head of State, accompanied by his Bissau-Guinean counterpart Umaro Sissoco Embaló, visited the different exhibition stands, marking the official opening of the Forum.
In his address, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye extended his greetings to the President of Guinea-Bissau, the Vice President of South Africa, the Prime Ministers of Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as the host delegations and that of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this year’s Guest of Honor. He highlighted the depth of relations between Dakar and Riyadh, built on political, economic, and religious cooperation, and underscored the key projects financed by the Saudi Fund for Development in areas such as urban mobility, water, and infrastructure.
The Head of State then recalled Senegal’s strategic vision for 2050, structured around four priorities:
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Building a sustainable and competitive economy,
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Promoting territorial development,
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Ensuring transparent and inclusive governance, and
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Investing in human capital.
He invited investors to seize the numerous opportunities available in key sectors such as agro-industry, renewable energy, mineral processing, the blue economy, and digital innovation.
President Faye also emphasized Senegal’s commitment to establishing strategic and lasting partnerships based on skills transfer, local value chain integration, and co-investment.
Concluding his speech, he congratulated the Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Major Works (APIX) and all partners for their dedication to the success of the event, before officially declaring open the second edition of the Invest in Senegal Forum.
“Together, let us invest, produce, and transform to create added value and shared prosperity,” the Head of State concluded to a warm round of applause.
Find below the full speech of the President of the Republic :
Mr. President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, my dear brother Umaro Sissoco Embaló,
Mr. Vice President of the Republic of South Africa,
Mr. President of the National Assembly,
Prime Ministers of Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Niger,
Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Guest of Honor,
Honorable Ministers,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Representatives of Technical and Financial Partners,
Members of the Private Sector,
Distinguished guests, in your ranks and capacities,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would first like to warmly welcome and sincerely thank my colleague and brother, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, for accepting our invitation to this second edition of the Invest in Senegal Forum.
His presence among us today, despite a busy schedule, is a testament to the excellence of the special bonds of neighborhood and friendship that unite our two nations.
I also thank the Vice President of South Africa, the Prime Ministers of Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as all our guests, and wish you all a pleasant stay.
Welcome to Senegal!
Welcome — “fii”, a Wolof word meaning “here”, which embodies the very spirit of our gathering.
It is here, on this land embraced by the ocean and illuminated by the sun of fraternity, that we are building the future of our people — step by step, with unwavering determination and deep conviction in a better tomorrow.
It is here, at Fii Senegal, that we intend, together with you — economic actors and partners — to turn promises into commitments, and commitments into concrete results.
This year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is our Guest of Honor. This reflects the depth and vitality of the relations between our two countries and our shared determination to take them even further.
Senegal and Saudi Arabia share strong bonds of fraternal friendship and cooperation in the political, religious, and economic spheres.
Our partnership has yielded significant Saudi investments in infrastructure, energy, health, and education.
Today, thanks to the Saudi Fund for Development, four major projects are underway — in urban mobility, agricultural and mining connectivity, community development, and access to safe drinking water through seawater desalination.
Mr. Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, I ask you to convey to His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud my deep respect for his wisdom and leadership, and to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman my congratulations for his vision and commitment to strengthening the cooperation between our two countries.
Together, we can do more — and do better.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
You have come from across the world to share your experiences, and to work with us to build partnerships and investments in projects of mutual benefit.
A land of hospitality and openness, Senegal is ideally located to foster an environment conducive to investment. We stand at the westernmost point of Africa — a stable, democratic nation where transparent governance and the fight against corruption are central to our national agenda.
Our country offers undeniable assets and diverse economic opportunities for investors in key sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, energy, industry, tourism, crafts, and digital technology.
But one of our greatest strengths remains our human capital, with more than half of our population under the age of 25.
We have a young, educated, connected, and creative population, a true source of talent for business and innovation.
However, to fully harness these opportunities, we must have a clear vision, with well-defined objectives and investment priorities.
That is why, upon assuming office, we developed our National Transformation Agenda — Vision Senegal 2050, built around four fundamental pillars:
• Building a sustainable, resilient, and competitive economy, by diversifying strategic sectors and enhancing our natural, human, and cultural resources;
• Promoting balanced territorial development, turning each region into a growth hub;
• Strengthening inclusive, transparent, and effective governance;
• Investing massively in human capital, because without a skilled and empowered youth, there can be no lasting prosperity.
This agenda is implemented through a Strategic Master Plan (2024–2035) and a Five-Year Plan (2025–2029), offering real opportunities for investment and public-private partnerships in multiple sectors.
This Forum, in line with its theme — “Connecting Opportunities, Building the Future” — reflects our determination to bridge talents, ideas, resources, and markets.
It is a call to co-create sustainable solutions that drive progress — for our country and for Africa.
We want every encounter here to be an opportunity to build a collective future, where the success of one contributes to the success of all — through mutually beneficial partnerships.
This Forum also aims to help you discover investment opportunities in Senegal, while deepening your understanding of the major transformations taking place in our country.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Senegal is moving forward, despite global and domestic challenges. Our growth is driven by productive sectors, particularly energy, and is supported by major investments in our national development priorities:
• Sovereign Agro-Industry — shifting from importing food products to producing them locally, and from exporting raw materials to processing them domestically. We invite you to invest in our integrated agro-industrial hubs;
• Green Energy — with vast potential in solar, wind, and green hydrogen;
• Mining and Petrochemical Transformation — through the construction of local processing units for zircon, gold, phosphate, gas, and oil;
• Blue Economy — focusing on fisheries, aquaculture, and marine biotechnology, vast and underexplored sectors;
• Creative and Digital Economy — with a $1.7 billion investment need for our “New Technological Deal”, including critical infrastructure, local skill development, and innovation stimulation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To create the right conditions for investment and development, we have initiated major legal and regulatory reforms.
We began with sound financial management, macroeconomic stabilization, and the digitization of public administration for faster and more transparent procedures.
We then launched a comprehensive review of the Investment Code, whose new version has already been adopted.
By the end of 2025, we will finalize updates to the General Tax Code, Customs Code, Labor Code, Social Security Code, and Public Procurement Code, along with adjustments to laws on Public-Private Partnerships and Special Economic Zones.
These new frameworks will offer targeted incentives, greater legal certainty, and a more competitive, business-friendly environment, better adapted to market realities and technological advances.
We are continuously improving Senegal’s business climate.
But I must emphasize — we seek more than investors; we seek strategic partners, committed to three key principles:
• First: Mandatory transfer of skills and technology, to train a qualified workforce;
• Second: Systematic integration of local value chains, prioritizing sourcing from Senegalese SMEs and supporting national industrialization;
• Third: Co-investment, encouraging the participation of Senegalese entrepreneurs in project ownership.
Dear investors,
Senegal offers you an expanding market within the African Continental Free Trade Area, supported by a modern and evolving legal environment.
We are ready to welcome and support your success.
Come seize the opportunities in high-potential sectors and establish fruitful, mutually beneficial partnerships.
For your investment processes, the Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Major Works (APIX) will assist you through its One-Stop Shop and fully digital procedures.
I invite you to visit the exhibition area on the sidelines of this Forum, where APIX teams are mobilized to connect you with investment opportunities. Likewise, the entire Government is here to provide swift and effective responses to your needs.
I take this opportunity to commend the Director General of APIX, Mr. Bakary Séga Bathily, and his team, as well as all other contributors, for their outstanding efforts in organizing this event.
I also thank our partners — both national and international — who continue to support the State in implementing its projects and programs.
Dear investors, Senegal is ready. We extend our hand to you for fruitful, win-win partnerships.
Together, let us invest, produce, and transform — to create added value and shared prosperity.
I hereby declare open the Second Edition of the Invest in Senegal Forum and wish you every success in your deliberations.
Thank you for your kind attention.