Council of Ministers of May 17, 2023 The Council of Ministers was held this Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at the Palace of the Republic, under the chairmanship of the Head of State, His Excellency Mr. Macky SALL. At the beginning of his communication, the President of the Republic addressed, in the name of the Nation, his most saddened condolences to the Islamic Oumah and to the Qadria Community in particular, following the reminder to God, yesterday, of the revered Sheikh Bécaye Al Bécaye KOUNTA, Caliph General of Ndiassane. The Head of State saluted the memory of the late religious Guide, who always worked generously for Islamic solidarity, peace and stability in Senegal. The President of the Republic informed the Council that he had received a large delegation from the Caliph General of the Mourides Serigne Mountaqa Bassirou Mbacké, who had come to convey to him the message of peace and national harmony delivered by the Religious Leader during the celebration of Eid el Fitr. . This message meets the Call for dialogue launched by the Head of State to all the living forces of the Nation for the preservation of peace and stability in our country. The Head of State also sent his congratulations to the Christian Community on the occasion of the celebration of the Ascension Day. Returning to the qualification of the U17 lion cubs for the final of the African Cup of Nations football, the Head of State congratulated our players and their administrative and technical management for their brilliant career during this competition, thus confirming the leadership Senegalese football on a continental scale, at national team level. The President of the Republic has asked the Prime Minister and Minister of Sports to continue, in conjunction with the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), the strengthening of the local football ecosystem through the implementation of a program national development of coherent and inclusive football, responding to the issues and challenges of an emerging national sport. With regard to the launch of the National Digital Week "SENEGAL CONNECT 2023" and the awarding of the Head of State's Grand Prize for digital innovation, the Head of State congratulated the Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, Mr. Moussa Bocar Thiam and all the private actors and State partners, for the successful organization of this major event on the national agenda. The President of the Republic reminded the Government of the State's irreversible option to strengthen the digital economy, in all its components and sectors with the concept of "Digital Senegal 2025", which he initiated several years ago. (2016), and which is based on the universal access of Senegalese men and women to quality services at reduced costs. In this dynamic, the Head of State asked the Government and the Minister in charge of the Digital Economy to accelerate, in liaison with private actors, the process of updating national strategies relating to digital (Digital Senegal, Cybersecurity, development of Startups...) in order to establish Senegal's digital sovereignty. In the same vein, the President of the Republic asked the Prime Minister to revitalize the National Council for the Digital Economy in order to better integrate digital transformation into: the functioning of administrations, in particular financial ones with the full digitization of financial departments; private sector development; the development of several sectors (education, training, health, town planning, teleworking, etc.). The Head of State notably pointed out the need to finalize, before October 2023, the works and the functional equipment of the Diamniadio Digital Technologies Park (PTN) and to ensure the permanent maintenance and the profitability of the digital infrastructures. public (national data center, fiber optic networks, etc.), according to a reference operating doctrine. In addition, the President of the Republic reiterated his attachment to the strategic control of the issue of Cybersecurity. As such, he asked the Prime Minister, the Minister in charge of Finance, the Minister for the Digital Economy and the Minister, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic to take all the necessary administrative and technical measures, with a view to: (i) to ensure optimal protection of data and critical information infrastructures; (ii) better regulation of social networks; (iii) consolidate Senegal's resilience to cyberattacks and establish digital trust. Finally, the Head of State invited the Prime Minister to hold an interministerial meeting on Senegal's digital projects with the aim of accelerating, in all areas, the country's digital transformation in line with the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE ), whose PAP 3 must include priority projects to strengthen digital sovereignty. Returning to Senegal's new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the President of the Republic congratulated the Government, in particular the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and Budget and the Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation, for the quality work accomplished with a view to the satisfactory conclusion of negotiations with the IMF, for a new economic and financial program, amounting to 1,150 billion FCFA over three (3) years (2023-2026). To this end, the Head of State asked the Prime Minister and sectoral Ministers to ensure compliance with the Government's commitments in terms of expected reforms and strengthening of public finance management. On the social climate, the management and monitoring of internal affairs, the Head of State returned to: the consolidation of peace and sustainable development of the natural region of Casamance: welcoming the signing of the act III of the peace agreement concluded between the State of Senegal and the initiative for the reunification of the political and armed wings in the name of Diakaye. The President of the Republic took the opportunity to reiterate his outstretched hand to all those committed to final peace in Casamance, in accordance with his appeal launched on March 2, 2023 in Goudomp, during his economic tour in the Sédhiou region. The Head of State thus welcomed the holding of the ceremony of laying down of arms, on Saturday, May 13, 2023, in Mongone in the commune of Djignaky. The President of the Republic congratulated the members of the ad hoc Committee, the organizations and stakeholders who made it possible to finalize this essential phase in the consolidation of peace in Casamance. The Head of State therefore asked the Government to continue implementing the commitments already made, by facilitating the installation and integration of the ex-combatants identified; the construction of basic socio-economic and opening up infrastructure in secure localities; as well as the management of administrative and sustainable development issues, raised during the process of pacification of the areas concerned. the relaunch of the navetanes movement: by asking the Prime Minister and Minister of Sports to prepare a special program to relaunch the Navétanes Movement, involving all stakeholders. The President of the Republic has announced the audience that he will grant, during the month of June 2023, to all the components of the Navétanes Movement, with a view to the relaunch of holiday activities within the framework of the special support program which will be validated during the planned Presidential Council. In his communication, the Prime Minister returned to the monitoring of the coordination of government activity by evoking: his visit to Saint Louis; the African Corrections Association Conference; the interministerial meeting on the supply of materials for road and highway projects; the meeting on projects in the higher education sector; the meeting on phase 2 of the TER; the final phase of the U20 World Cup and Senegal's candidacy for the organization of the CAN 2027. AS PART OF THE COMMUNICATIONS OF THE MINISTERS the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad made a communication on the international situation ; the Minister of Finance and Budget made a presentation on Senegal's new economic and financial program with the IMF 2023-2026; the Minister of Economy, Planning and Cooperation made a presentation on the progress of the 5th general population and housing census (RGPH5), the development of the priority action plan n ° 3 (PAP 3) of the PSE and the GDP Rebasing process. UNDER LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY TEXTS The Board examined and adopted: the draft decree on the organization of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. Release date 2023-05-17