Senegal: World Bank Approves $150 Million for Digital Economy Acceleration Project

Like most African countries, Senegal has been undertaking its digital acceleration project in recent years. To carry out this project, the country can count on partners of choice such as the World Bank.

The World Bank has granted financing of 91 billion FCFA ($150 million) to the State of Senegal for the implementation of the Digital Economy Acceleration Project (PAEN). A financing agreement was signed on Thursday, April 6 between Mamadou Moustapha Bâ (photo, right), Senegal’s Minister of Finance and Budget, and Keiko Miwa (photo, left), Director of the World Bank’s Regional Office for Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal.

« Leveraging digital technologies for the benefit of people is essential in critical sectors such as health where digital solutions, including electronic medical records, telemedicine and immunization campaign management can have a tangible impact. ” said Keiko Miwa after the signing.

According to the Minister of Finance and Budget, the funding will improve the legal, regulatory and institutional environment conducive to the digital economy. It will support the digital transformation of the public sector by strengthening the technical foundations and services of eGovernment. It will also promote digital adoption by improving literacy and digital skills, especially among women and youth, and increasing access to health information to improve health service delivery.

It should be noted that the PAEN is the first axis of the Plan Senegal Emergent (PSE) adopted in 2014 by the government with the objective of leading Senegal on the path of emergence by 2035.