Dakar 2026: ADM puts the territorialization of the Youth Olympic Games into practice to serve urban resilience and local development

The area of responsibility for " Youth, Sports and Leisure " is well managed within twelve local authorities in the Dakar suburbs, with an approach that brings young people closer to their local authorities.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the first Olympic event in the history of the African continent, allow Senegal to take a decisive step in its spatial planning. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Urban Planning, Local Authorities and Territorial Development, headed by Minister Moussa Bala Fofana, the Municipal Development Agency (ADM) is bringing a community and territorial dimension to this historic event.

A strategic anchoring in the Senegal 2050 Agenda and urban resilience

Led by the Municipal Development Agency through the second phase of the Stormwater Management and Climate Change Adaptation Project (PROGEP 2), this initiative is in line with the national framework supported by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye.

The approach adopted is distinguished by its originality: making flood control and the sustainability of drainage infrastructure the gateway to the Olympic dynamic. Supported by leading financial and technical partners—such as the World Bank and the Nordic Development Fund (NDF)—PROGEP 2 combines two dimensions. The first focuses on the construction of large-scale drainage works (retention basins, canals, paved roads) to improve urban resilience. The second is dedicated to local social and sports facilities for the development of young people.

Structuring investments of more than two billion FCFA

The result of an institutional partnership formalized by an agreement signed on May 6, 2026 between ADM and the Organizing Committee of the Youth Olympic Games (COJOJ), an investment program of 2,270,175,572 CFA francs is transforming the living environment in several target municipalities (including Dalifort-Foirail, Médina Gounass, Keur Massar Nord, Keur Massar Sud, Sangalkam, as well as the departments of Pikine, Guédiawaye, Keur Massar and Rufisque).

These achievements include:

1. Six football pitches with synthetic turf.
2. Two multi-purpose fields .
3. Local sports trails and attractive, regenerated landscaped areas.

In line with the vision of "ADM Territorializes," echoing the official slogan "Africa Welcomes, Dakar Celebrates," the objective is to extend the Olympic dynamic beyond major urban centers. This program promotes both inclusive grassroots sport (accessible to women, schools, and people with disabilities) and support for national sporting elites.

Participatory governance and a model of local empowerment

To ensure the long-term viability of these infrastructures, the ADM relies on participatory governance, characterized by the creation of a Technical Monitoring Committee (CTS) and the establishment of Municipal Olympic Units (COC). These bodies bring together local authorities, sports associations (ODCAV, CDEPS), education inspectorates (IEF), and local stormwater management committees (COLIGEP). This structure will be further developed within the youth and sports commissions of local authorities in terms of intangible heritage.

An innovative economic support model allows the river basin management committees responsible for the community maintenance of PROGEP 2 facilities to operate sports facilities to generate additional revenue and create local jobs. This dynamic illustrates the concrete implementation of the "Youth, Sport and Leisure" remit by local authorities within the framework of the fourth phase of decentralization, demonstrating that "inter-municipal sports cooperation" and the pooling of resources constitute genuine drivers of development.

A program of sports, eco-citizenship and cultural activities

Following the structuring of the bodies, a vast animation program is deployed across 13 municipalities spread over 3 departments, mobilizing more than 650 athletes around 10 disciplines (football, basketball, traditional wrestling, cycling, table tennis, martial arts, pétanque, hiking, running and mind games).

The highlights of this mobilization include:

1. The "Sunu JOJ Sunu GOX" caravan : a journey of animation and exchange with authorities and youth.
2. The "Headquarters of the territorialized YOG" : an Olympic village set up on the grounds of Unit 9 of Jaxaay-Parcelles, hosting ecological exhibitions, sporting and cultural events and a media space.
3. Eco-citizen monitoring : with integrated waste management and carbon footprint assessment for voluntary offsetting.

Popular enthusiasm right up to the opening ceremony

This dynamic of inclusion will culminate thanks to a solidarity ticketing system set up by the ADM, allowing 5,000 young people and residents from the 12 communes (Dalifort, Yeumbeul Sud, Yeumbeul Nord, Jaxaay Parcelles, Keur Massar Nord, Keur Massar Sud, Djiddah Thiaroye Kao, Medina Gounass, Wakhinane Nimzatt, Sangalkam, Tivaouane Peulh Niagu) of PROGEP 2 to attend the official opening ceremony at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, under the chairmanship of the Head of State Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

By combining environmental sanitation, modern sports infrastructure and citizen engagement, ADM demonstrates that the territorialization of major international events constitutes a concrete accelerator of territorial development and a lasting legacy for Senegalese youth.