Africa's first city ‘Resilience Strategy' unveiled for Dakar

Dakar. Image by 123RF

The use of technology as a lever for resilience, the implementation of an inclusive and effective governance strategy, citizen participation from all of Dakar, the involvement of the private sector and the creation of a healthy living environment, are at the heart of the strategy of resilience that the City of Dakar published this week at City Hall in partnership with 100 Resilient Cities – Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation.

Selected in 2013 as a member of the ‘100 Resilient Cities Network’, the City of Dakar is the first African city in the prestigious network to publish its resilience strategy. The 100 Resilient Cities Network is dedicated to helping cities adopt and integrate resilience into their planning and development projects so that they are better prepared for disasters and extreme risks, as well as for social and environmental stresses.

The strategy focuses on five priority goals, supported by individual actions that will have an impact across all sectors of society:

1. Promote an inclusive resilience agenda by and for Dakar citizens.
2. Provide a healthy living environment to Dakar’s citizens.
3. Position the private sector as a resilience partner.
4. Leverage energy efficient technologies to support the city’s resilience.
5. Promote inclusive and efficient governance.

"As one of the African cities selected in the first round of the 100 Resilient Cities Challenge, Dakar has time and again been a pioneer in our global movement. With the completion of their Resilience Strategy, the first in Africa, Dakar is helping spread urban resilience to cities across the region and the world," said Michael Berkowitz, President of 100RC, at the release event. “The next big challenge for Dakar is to implement the unique vision laid out in this strategy, and continue the hard work to ensure real and lasting change.”

Dakar’s Chief Resilience Officer, Antoine Faye, led the development of the strategy and gathered input from more than 50 institutional, economic, associative and academic actors. The private sector, development partners and have also taken part in the development of the strategy.

The Rockefeller Foundation wanted to encourage the cities of the world to anticipate the crises and disruptions that can occur and turn them into development opportunities.

To begin addressing these challenges, the Strategy proposes 23 activities that cut across all sectors of society. These include: teaching the concept of resilience in basic education; developing green spaces; making users aware of the rational and efficient use of energy; a competition to find Innovative solutions; addressing the city's energy challenges; and strengthening the dialogue between the central government and the municipality to collectively address issues related to resilience.

In launching the 100 RC program, the Rockefeller Foundation wanted to encourage the cities of the world to anticipate the crises and disruptions that can occur and turn them into development opportunities.

Speaking to the participants, Khalifa Ababacar Sall, Mayor of the City of Dakar, urged all of Dakar to take ownership of the resilience strategy because, "Resilience issues need to be addressed urgently, not only to strengthen in the face of shocks and stresses, but also to improve the well-being of vulnerable people. This partnership with 100 Resilient Cities, of which we are delighted, enable us to realise very quickly our ambition to make the city of Dakar, a clean city, with a healthy living environment, improving energy efficiency through planning and the collective commitment of all stakeholders. "

Mayor Sall called for the continuation of the partnership and in particular the technical support of 100 Resilient Cities for an effective and successful implementation of this first resilience strategy in Africa.

The 100 Resilient Cities program was announced on the Foundation's centennial in 2013. Dakar was selected alongside cities such as London, Durban, Paris, New York, Bangkok, and Kigali.