Prime minister ousmane sonko mandates urgent flood preparedness for Senegal

During a Council of Ministers meeting held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko underscored the critical importance of flood prevention and management. He began by commending the foundational work undertaken by the Ministry of Hydraulics and Sanitation, alongside other governmental bodies. These proactive measures include the vital clearing of drainage networks, thorough inspection of existing water management infrastructure, strategic pre-positioning of essential pumping equipment, and the comprehensive development of emergency response plans.

Highlighting the inherently inter-ministerial nature of effective flood prevention, Ousmane Sonko issued a directive for all state services to operate with impeccable synergy. This collaborative effort is to be orchestrated under the leadership of the Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, with crucial backing from the Ministry of Interior, particularly concerning civil protection protocols and overall crisis management strategies.

The head of government then conveyed explicit instructions to the relevant ministers, urging them to implement appropriate and timely provisions. Specifically, he called for the immediate execution of several key actions: the urgent updating and official validation of all communal emergency action plans, a thorough assessment of the operational readiness of early warning systems and public communication channels, the strategic pre-staging of intervention resources, and the organization of a comprehensive inter-ministerial simulation exercise, which must be completed before June 15, 2026.