Urban flood prevention in Senegal

The climate change affected flooding incidents in Dakar have significant social and economic impacts and are becoming increasingly severe. Flooding has affected over 900,000 people in Senegal over the past 30 years and also caused significant damage to infrastructure along with economic losses. Suburban Dakar, where 80 % of the country’s economic activities are concentrated, has lately been hardest hit. Climate change is likely to cause more frequent and severe extreme weather events, sea level rise and stronger storm surges, which all increase flood risks.

Following the 2009 floods, the Government of Senegal conducted a post-disaster needs assessment, which outlined a medium and long-term strategy for flood risk reduction. This assessment provides an important strategic and operational instrument for the Senegal Storm Water Management and Climate Change Adaptation Project (PROGEP). The objective of PROGEP is to improve storm water drainage and flood prevention in peri-urban Dakar for the benefit of local residents.

The World Bank plans to support the PROGEP. NDF is contributing EUR 3 million to activities that aim to strengthen the climate change adaptation aspects of the PROGEP project. The activities financed by NDF will design and integrate flood risk reduction and adaptation measures into communal action plans. Furthermore, NDF activities will support climate resilience related capacity-building, public awareness-raising, knowledge dissemination as well as prepare the ground for extending climate change adaptation initiatives to other cities in Senegal.