Foreign policy - Baerbock inspects Electric bus system in Dakar, Senegal
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) begins her two-day visit to Dakar, the Senegalese capital, with an inspection of an Electric Rapid Bus Transit (BRT) project. The BRT system went into operation in May and was financed by the European Investment Bank and the World Bank. Along with the 2021 opened suburban line TER, it is expected to help reduce the environmental problems of the city.
Germany is focusing on offers that benefit people on both sides and jointly address the challenges of the future, said Baerbock. The first electric rapid bus system in Africa is a concrete example of this: With German expertise and the EU's "Global Gateway" initiative, one contributes to the fact that Senegal advances its green transformation and that people benefit from it in their daily lives.
The "Global Gateway" initiative provides for investments of up to 300 billion Euros in the infrastructure of developing and emerging countries in the coming years - also to secure greater global influence for the EU.
Traffic congestion and poor air quality
The population of the Dakar metropolitan area has increased tenfold since 1970, with around 4 million people officially living in the region. Although the metropolis is located on a peninsula by the sea, it is one of the African cities with the poorest air quality.
Intensified efforts for sustainable power supply
Senegal, which began oil exploration a month ago and plans to start exporting gas at the end of 2024, is also making intensive efforts for sustainable power supply. According to the International Energy Agency, the country has already met its targets for wind and solar power by 2025 and now gets a fifth of its electricity from these sources. By 2030, the capacity in renewable energies is to reach 40 percent. In return, 2.5 billion Euros in public and private funds are to be mobilized in the context of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with Germany, France, and the EU.
- Annalena Baerbock, the German Federal Government's Foreign Minister, is currently in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, to inspect an Electric Rapid Bus Transit project.
- The BRT system in Dakar, which became operational in May, was financed by the European Investment Bank and the World Bank, demonstrating the EU's commitment to supporting sustainable development projects around the world.
- Baerbock emphasized during her visit that Germany is focusing on initiatives that benefit both parties and address future challenges, such as the BRT project, which is partly funded by the EU's "Global Gateway" initiative.
- Senator Halimata Sarr, the Senegalese Minister of Urban Planning and Housing, welcomed Baerbock and expressed her gratitude for Germany's support in implementing the BRT project, which is intended to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in Dakar.
- The World Bank has praised Germany for its commitment to supporting Africa's sustainable development, noting that the BRT project is a significant example of how Western Africa can benefit from international partnerships and financial support.
- Baerbock also met with diplomats from the Ivory Coast and other African countries to discuss the Federal Government's future foreign policy priorities, including the EU's role in promoting sustainable energy development and combating climate change in Africa.
- The European Union and its member states, including Germany, are working to strengthen their international relationships and promote foreign policy initiatives aimed at addressing common challenges, such as energy poverty, climate change, and the promotion of green infrastructure projects around the world.
