PRESS RELEASE FROM THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2026

The Council of Ministers was exceptionally held on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the Palace of the Republic, under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar FAYE, President of the Republic.

UNDER THE HEADING OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC'S COMMUNICATION

The Head of State made a statement covering the following points:

Preventive flood management and consensual redefinition of sanitation policy

At the start of his address, the President of the Republic paid tribute to the memory of those who have died as a result of the heavy rains and severe weather experienced in recent days in several parts of the country. He expressed his compassion and the nation's solidarity with the affected populations and commended the comprehensive and diverse range of government services. He called for an intensification of all necessary logistical and health measures and actions to clear flooded infrastructure and areas and provide assistance to the families of the victims and the affected communities.

He orders that a rapid technical audit of the identified deficiencies in the governance of sanitation systems be conducted without delay. The Head of State directs the Prime Minister to engage, in conjunction with the ministers, public bodies and authorities, and relevant partners:

– updating the master plans for sanitation in towns and municipalities;

– the finalization and validation, before the end of November 2026, of the National Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management Strategy;

– the review and validation of the National Strategy for Flood Prevention and Management;

– a reflection on the establishment of a National Sanitation Fund, financed by sustainable resources.

Finally, he calls on the Prime Minister to oversee the completion of studies and the implementation of proposed solutions within the framework of flood prevention and the strategic repositioning of sanitation in public investments.

Accelerating the implementation of territorial development programs with the relocation of national holiday celebrations

The President of the Republic reiterates that the implementation of the National Transformation Agenda must give special priority to spatial planning and sustainable urban development, with the acceleration of the construction of quality infrastructure and public facilities throughout the national territory. To this end, he requests the Prime Minister to assess the progress of the PUDC, PUMA, PROMOVILLES, and PACASEN programs, as well as the decisions, recommendations, and urgent projects stemming from the presidential seminar with the Regional Governors held on February 12, 2026.

Furthermore, he requests the Minister of the Interior and Public Security to present a report to the Council of Ministers on the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Modernization of Territorial Administration. He also points out to the Minister responsible for Local Authorities the urgent need to accelerate consensual reforms related to decentralization, with a view to strengthening the territorialization of public policies and the financing of local authorities.

Furthermore, the Head of State announced his decision to relocate the military parade and grand ceremony marking the national holiday of April 4th to Kaolack in 2029. In this context, he instructed the relevant ministers to develop, under the supervision and coordination of the Prime Minister, a "Special Independence Program" for the Kaolack Region, encompassing the construction of priority public infrastructure and the revitalization of the local economy. He requested the Prime Minister to report quarterly to the Council of Ministers on the progress of approved projects and works for the Kaolack Region.

Final phase of preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games

Recalling that Senegal will host the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games from October 31 to November 13, 2026, the Head of State noted that all infrastructure related to the competition has been completed, handed over, and made available. He called upon the Government, the Organizing Committee, the mayors involved, and the population, particularly young people, to intensify the mobilization of all the nation's vital forces to ensure an exceptional welcome for our guests and the smooth running of the competitions at all venues. The President of the Republic emphasized the imperative for the Government, dedicated state services, municipalities, and community stakeholders to deploy all necessary resources to ensure continuous traffic flow, security, public health, and hygiene in all localities.

Finally, he calls for the deployment during this period of a major program of activities that promotes the cultural, artisanal and economic potential of Senegal.

Preparation for the budget session

After emphasizing that the single ordinary session of the National Assembly opens on October 13, 2026, the President of the Republic indicates that, in accordance with the organic law relating to finance laws, the draft finance law for the year 2027 has been submitted on time to the office of the National Assembly, accompanied by the report defining the economic and financial balance.

He instructed the Government to take all necessary measures to ensure the smooth running of this session, particularly the review of the 2026 supplementary budget bill and the 2027 budget bill. According to the Head of State, these texts usher in a new era of fiscal consolidation, improved public finances, and economic recovery. In this context, he directed each member of the Government to provide clear and responsible reporting on the results of activities, projects, and sectoral actions completed and planned, in line with the National Transformation Agenda.

Back to school and commemoration of the 82nd ^anniversary of the Thiaroye Massacre

On the occasion of the start of the new school year, the President of the Republic sends a message of encouragement and support to all members of the educational community. He urges the Government and all stakeholders in education to continue their collective efforts to ensure social stability in schools, as well as the excellence and international standing of the national education system.

Furthermore, the Head of State asks the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Armed Forces to take all appropriate measures to ensure the smooth running of the ceremonies related to the commemoration of the Thiaroye Massacre, on December 1, ²⁰²⁶ .

Agenda of the President of the Republic, monitoring of integration, cooperation and partnerships

The President of the Republic informs the Council that he participated, from October 2nd to 4th, 2026, in Egypt, in his capacity as Chairman of ECOWAS, in the African Union's mid-year coordination meeting. He then traveled to Abuja on October 5th and 6th, 2026, for a working visit to the headquarters of the ECOWAS Commission and the installation of the new judges of the Court. Finally, he announces that he will chair the Conference of African First Ladies on October 14th, 2026.

UNDER THE HEADING OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S COMMUNICATION

Addressing the first theme of his communication, focused on assistance to flood victims, the Prime Minister instructed the relevant ministers to ensure the rapid restoration of good living and hygiene conditions in the affected areas, particularly in Dakar, the provision of food and essential supplies, and the temporary relocation of populations in need.

The Prime Minister then stressed the urgency of establishing the governance framework for the National Integrated Flood Risk Management Strategy, inviting the Minister of Water and Sanitation to submit to him, as soon as possible, a draft decree establishing a multi-sectoral project group responsible for operationalizing this strategy.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister announced, in accordance with the directives of the Head of State, the establishment of a committee tasked with proposing a governance plan for crisis management related to the floods. He also informed the Council of an inter-ministerial meeting to be held in early November 2026, dedicated to implementing the assessment of the food security situation, given the poor harvest in some areas and crop losses due to flooding in other parts of the country.

Addressing the second theme of his communication, dedicated to intensifying the fight against cancer, particularly cancers affecting women, the Prime Minister indicated that the National Cancer Control Plan 2025-2029 will be updated by the Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, in conjunction with all stakeholders, no later than December 31, 2026.

The Prime Minister also took note of the need to secure the availability of cancer medications and instructed the Minister of Family, Social Action and Solidarity to take appropriate measures for the enrollment and care of cancer patients in need by the Universal Health Coverage Agency.

He concluded his communication by informing the Council of the review work on the internal control system within the ministries, undertaken by the Prime Minister's office.

UNDER THE HEADING OF COMMUNICATIONS FROM MINISTERS

The Minister of Water and Sanitation gave a report on the updated situation of flood management at the national level and the monitoring of the emergency flood management plan in the Dakar Region.

The Minister in charge of Economy, Planning and Cooperation gave a presentation on the integrated economic and financial modeling system.

UNDER LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY TEXTS

The Council examined and adopted the draft decree establishing the rules for the organization and operation of the Amadou Mahtar Mbow University (UAM).

Bacary SARR,

Minister of Communication and Relations with Institutions,

Government Spokesperson