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Senegal is taking the first steps towards establishing its first trust fund for biodiversity conservation.

Senegal is taking the first steps towards establishing its first trust fund for biodiversity conservation.

July 8, 2026

Dakar, 7 July 2026 – The Ministry of the Environment and Ecological Transition (METE) has officially launched the process of establishing the Trust Fund for Biodiversity Conservation in Senegal (FFCB-SN) at a national workshop bringing together key stakeholders from the fields of conservation, development finance, civil society and the private sector. This initiative aims to provide Senegal with a sustainable financing mechanism capable of supporting, in the long term, the preservation of biodiversity, the management of protected areas and community-led conservation initiatives.

The opening ceremony featured addresses by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of the Environment and Ecological Transition, representing the Minister; Mr Ibrahima Thiam, Executive Director of Wetlands International Africa – Western Coast and Gulf of Guinea (WIACO), the Deputy Director of the French Development Agency (AFD); and the World Bank.

In his address, the Secretary-General of the Ministry emphasised the importance of reconciling economic development with the preservation of ecosystems:

Development can only be sustainable if it is compatible with the actual capacity of ecosystems to absorb human pressures, to regenerate and maintain their vital functions, and to continue to provide ecological goods and services.

M. Fodé Fall

Secretary-General of the Ministry

Faced with the growing challenges linked to the degradation of natural resources and the effects of climate change, he emphasised the urgency of taking action:

Inaction is not an option. The sustainable governance of our conservation areas has become a matter of survival, a major strategic issue for Senegal. To this end, the event bringing us together today is fully in line with the implementation of the Senegal 2050 Transformation Agenda.

M. Fodé Fall

Secretary-General of the Ministry

Speaking on behalf of WIACO, Mr Ibrahima Thiam, the Executive Director, welcomed an initiative that offers hope for the future of conservation in Senegal. In his view, the creation of a trust fund constitutes a concrete response to the challenges of financing biodiversity.

The creation of a trust fund is a particularly relevant response; it will enable the establishment of a mechanism capable of mobilising resources, strengthening partners’ confidence and securing the investments essential for biodiversity conservation.

Mr Ibrahima Thiam

Executive Director

He highlighted Wetlands International’s involvement in the initial discussions that led to this initiative:

Wetlands International had the privilege of supporting the Government’s initial discussions on this initiative. We are convinced of Senegal’s potential to become a regional model for sustainable conservation financing.

Mr Ibrahima Thiam

Executive Director

The Executive Director of WIACO also highlighted the close link between conservation and development:

We are convinced that conservation cannot be separated from development and that we must invest in biodiversity.

Mr Ibrahima Thiam

Executive Director

Whilst welcoming the progress made, he pointed out that the future fund’s success will depend on the collective commitment of all stakeholders:

Wetlands International is proud to have contributed to the emergence of this initiative, but we are also aware that its success will depend above all on the commitment of all stakeholders.

Mr Ibrahima Thiam

Executive Director

For her part, the Deputy Director of AFD highlighted the vital role of trust funds in mobilising sustainable resources for conservation. She emphasised AFD’s commitment to supporting the studies and processes necessary for the creation of the future fund, whilst sharing lessons learnt from similar experiences around the world.

The workshop provided an opportunity to outline the challenges of sustainable biodiversity financing in Senegal, to share successful experiences of conservation trust funds in Africa, and to initiate discussions on the institutional, legal, financial and governance frameworks of the future fund. Participants also discussed the conditions for the success of the FFCB-SN and the steps required for its operationalisation.

Bringing together representatives from public institutions, technical and financial partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and African trust funds, this meeting marks a decisive step towards establishing an innovative mechanism designed to secure long-term financial resources for biodiversity conservation in Senegal.

At the conclusion of the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment to building on the momentum gained to make the FFCB-SN a strategic tool for preserving the country’s natural heritage, strengthening community resilience and realising Senegal’s sustainable development ambitions.

For Wetlands International Africa – Western Coast and Gulf of Guinea, this initiative represents a unique opportunity to sustainably strengthen investment in nature and to build, together with all partners, a future in which biodiversity conservation and human development go hand in hand.