Hayashi Yoshimasa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Oulimata Sarr, Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, signed a loan of 10 billion yen, or about 45 billion CFA francs and a donation of ‘1.542 billion yen, or nearly 7 billion CFA francs intended for the education and fishing sectors.Ten billion yen, or about 45 billion CFA francs, is the amount of the new loan that the Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, OulimataSarr, signed with HayashiYoshimasa, Japanese Foreign Minister, on the sidelines of President MackySall‘s visit to Tokyo, Japan.This funding is for the Education Sector Development Policy Program.This programaims to strengthen “the teaching of science and mathematics in the primary and lower secondary school curricula in Senegal, through the formulation and implementation of relevant government policies”.Better, notes the document, “it is a question of improving the access, the quality and the management of education thus contributing to economic and social stability and to the efforts for development.“Japan announced its commitment to improve children’s learning and providing quality education to 9 million people at the 8th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8) held in August 2022.This cooperation is a concretisation of this commitment,” said the Japanese partners in the document.On the conditions of this loan, the document states an interest rate of 0.01% per year over a repayment period of 40 years including a grace period of 10 years.The signing of this loan was followed by that of a donation of 1.542 billion yen, or nearly 7 billion CFA francs.This amount is to finance the project to build a national laboratory for the analysis of fishery and aquaculture products.“This project aims at strengthening the inspection system for fishery products in Senegal by building a national laboratory for the analysis of fisheries and aquaculture products in the new town of Diamniadio, Westof Dakar with management systems, post-landing, has weaknesses that hinder the expansion of exports, this project strengthens and improves the country’s inspection equipment, thus contributing to improving the safety and value addition of fisheries product exports .In doing so, it helps to stimulate sustainable economic growth by promoting and securing exports.Previously, MackySall and KishidaFumio, Prime Minister of Japan, had a summit meeting which allowed them to discuss ways and means to strengthen the partnership between Japan and Senegal.And mentions the press release, the two leaders welcomed the signing of the exchange of notes relating to the loan and the donation, the total amount of which is estimated at 11.542 billion yen, or nearly 52 billion CFA francs intended for the sectors of education and fisheries.
By Dialigué FAYE / dialigue@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH