World Bank Approves $40 Million to Accelerate Inclusive Territorial Development in Casamance and Kédougou

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2026 - The World Bank has approved $40 million in additional financing for the Republic of Senegal under the Casamance Economic Development Project. This new support brings the total investment to $85 million and will benefit approximately 850,000 people in the regions of Casamance and Kédougou.

The operation builds on the encouraging results achieved since the project was launched, including improved access to essential services for more than 433,000 people in Casamance. It will now extend these gains to the Kédougou region, whose agricultural, mining, and tourism assets offer strong prospects for local economic development.

The project is structured around two complementary areas of intervention. In the Southern Hub of Casamance, activities focus on rehabilitating rural roads, modernizing irrigation systems and agricultural value chains, and strengthening civil registration. In the Southeastern Hub of Kédougou, the project will invest in resilient school infrastructure, rural mobility plans, and certified vocational training for young people and women to strengthen their integration into the region’s high-potential sectors.

“This additional financing reflects the shared commitment of the Government of Senegal and the World Bank Group to inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across the national territory,” said Djibrilla Issa, Division Director for Senegal, Mauritania, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia. “When a rural road is rehabilitated, it is not only a road that opens. It is a market that becomes accessible, a harvest that finds buyers, and a young person who can consider staying and building a future. This is the chain reaction the project seeks to trigger: creating the conditions for women and young people in Casamance and Kédougou to find decent jobs, grow their businesses, and contribute fully to the prosperity of their communities.”

Beyond public investments, the project places significant emphasis on the private sector, in connection with the Government’s AgriConnect initiative, which aims to advance national food sovereignty through the development of cereal, horticulture, and livestock value chains and the creation of 800,000 formal agricultural jobs by 2029. This initiative is seen as an essential driver of economic recovery in Casamance and Kédougou.

The additional financing will support local entrepreneurship, develop the skills and capacities of entrepreneurs and cooperatives, and strengthen agricultural and fisheries value chains with strong job-creation potential. The project will also promote public-private partnerships for the development of strategic economic infrastructure, while helping a network of local enterprises seize opportunities generated by this investment momentum and contribute to job creation.

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