Council of Ministers: university reform, Special Plan for the East and fight against erosion at the heart of priorities

Meeting this Wednesday, February 11, 2026 under the chairmanship of His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, the Council of Ministers was largely marked by the communication from the Head of State Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Modernization of university governance, accelerated development of eastern Senegal, preparation for Ramadan and Lent, or even strengthening the fight against coastal erosion: the President of the Republic has set the course on several strategic issues.

Consensual modernization of university governance

The Head of State began his communication with the situation of the Higher Education, Research and Innovation sector, which he considers to be a fundamental lever of the “Senegal 2050” Vision.

Recalling the sensitive nature of the sector, marked by recurring crises and complex issues, the President of the Republic bowed to the memory of the deceased student Abdoulaye Ba, before presenting his condolences to the university community and the Nation.

At the same time, he called for the alignment of the higher education system with the best international standards. The Head of State instructed the Government to establish a permanent dialogue with all university components in order to guarantee compliance with academic calendars, the requirements of the LMD system and the rules of administrative, budgetary and financial governance.

He also insisted on accelerating the process of consensual validation of the recommendations resulting from consultations relating to the National Agenda for the Transformation of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

Heading towards eastern Senegal with the “Diomaye Plan”

Returning to his economic tour carried out from February 5 to 8, 2026 in the regions of Tambacounda and Kédougou, President Diomaye Faye praised the welcome of the populations and the mobilization of the administrative and territorial authorities.

Magnifying the economic potential of Eastern Senegal, established as a priority development pole, the Head of State requested the acceleration of structuring projects: construction of schools, high schools, the University of Eastern Senegal, ISEPs, the Bakel hospital as well as administrative infrastructure.

He also focused on rural electrification, access to drinking water, strengthening security and road, air and digital access, particularly in the Kédougou region. In this dynamic, he instructed the Prime Minister to ensure the relaunch of the railways on the Dakar-Kidira axis and the functional development of the dry port of Tambacounda.

The President also insisted on the strategic control of mining, particularly gold, the development of the Niokolo-Koba national park and support for the local private sector. He finally requested the development and implementation of a special investment program called the “Diomaye Plan for Eastern Senegal”, intended to reduce the infrastructure deficit and strengthen the presence of the State in the Eastern zone.

Ramadan, coastal erosion and territorial governance: vigilance and anticipation

As the month of Ramadan and Lent approach, the Head of State called on the Government to ensure proper supply of markets and stability of prices of essential foodstuffs. He also called for the deployment of support systems for vulnerable households.

Concerning the pilgrimage to the Holy Places 2026 edition, he instructed the Prime Minister and the Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs to ensure the completion of all the necessary steps for optimal organization.

On the environmental front, the President of the Republic highlighted the persistent threat of coastal erosion, particularly for island localities. He called for the finalization of the mapping of risk areas, the assessment of the impact of adaptation projects and the concerted updating of control strategies.

To this end, the Minister of the Environment and Ecological Transition is responsible for proposing a new policy for preventing and combating coastal erosion, backed by innovative, structuring and sustainable projects.

Finally, the Head of State announced the holding, on February 12, 2026, of a seminar with regional governors, devoted to the evaluation of the security, economic, social and environmental projects and priorities of each territory.

Sheikh Gora DIOP