Senegal is entering a decisive phase where environmental policy can no longer be confined to nature enforcement or the colonial legacy of “fortress conservation.” The symbol of the hunting horn on the badges of the Water and Forests Department recalls a history of extraction and game control. Yet, the 21st century demands an ecology of sovereignty, local added value, and territorial justice. Rethinking this symbol means opening a broader agenda: aligning our institutions, financial instruments, and scientific output with resilience goals, green industrialization, decent jobs, and African leadership in global governance.
In this spirit, the interview addressed (i) the strategic importance of redesigning environmental policies to serve socio-economic development, (ii) the use of green funds (GEF, CIF, AF, etc.) as tools for macrobudgetary management and public investment, and (iii) repositioning the Senegalese university (and more broadly African universities) as a player in environmental diplomacy and standards within the international environmental governance system. Watch the interview below:
