On November 3, 2026, Tambacounda hosted a ceremony focused on economic transformation and territorial development. The event featured the inauguration of a semi-industrial unit for transforming local products, the distribution of ESS (Social Economy and Solidarity) approvals, and the issuance of training certificates to productive solidarity cooperatives. Minister Dr. Alioune Dione emphasized that these initiatives aim to strengthen the productive capacities of populations and promote their economic autonomy.
The semi-industrial unit for transforming local products is a significant advancement for women entrepreneurs in Tambacounda. This infrastructure, resulting from a partnership between Senegal and the European Union through the JOG JEUF program, enables beneficiaries to transform, package, and market local productions, such as maize and millet. The goal is to move beyond the simple commercialization of raw materials and develop higher-value-added products that generate income and jobs.
The ceremony also included the distribution of ESS approvals to beneficiaries of the "Jeuf Doolel Jigeen" project. This official recognition is an important step in the formalization and consolidation of the economic activities of the women concerned. The approvals, granted under the 2021-28 law on Social Economy and Solidarity, provide institutional recognition and open up new perspectives for accompaniment, financing, and access to public markets.
The event featured the distribution of certificates to beneficiaries of training programs organized under the PROGRESS program, financed by the Italian Republic through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). In Tambacounda, 111 young people were selected to benefit from a program to strengthen their capacity in paving techniques and structuring productive solidarity cooperatives. The training led to the creation of two cooperatives: "Orientale Pavage de Tambacounda" and "Tamba Bâtisseurs d'avenir".
The PROGRESS program, placed under the tutelage of the Ministry of Microfinance and Social Economy and Solidarity, is a strategic instrument for implementing the national policy for developing the social economy and solidarity. Its ambition is to improve the living conditions of sector actors sustainably through job creation and wealth generation within territories. The program focuses on formalizing organizations, strengthening their capacities, and consolidating dedicated financing mechanisms.
Minister Dr. Alioune Dione praised the complementarity of partners engaged in this dynamic, including the European Union, Italian cooperation, and the State. He invited beneficiaries to use the skills acquired to achieve economic success and assured them that his department would continue to support them, particularly by facilitating connections between cooperatives and State, territorial collectivities, and public agency markets.
The initiatives launched in Tambacounda reflect the Senegalese government's commitment to promoting local economic development, youth employment, and women's empowerment. The projects, which align with the national transformation agenda, aim to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy. The government's efforts to strengthen the productive capacities of populations and promote economic autonomy are expected to have a positive impact on the region's economic development.
Key points
- The Senegalese government has inaugurated a semi-industrial unit for transforming local products in Tambacounda to promote local economic development and job creation.
- The unit, resulting from a partnership with the European Union, will enable women entrepreneurs to transform and market local productions.
- The government has also distributed ESS approvals and training certificates to beneficiaries of programs aimed at promoting social economy and solidarity.
