Dakar – On September 30^th, the Government of Senegal and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Senegal, organized a workshop to share good practices, challenges and lessons learned on crisis management to enhance the preparedness of authorities responsible for border areas in case of crisis.

The workshop brought together trainers of the Senegalese National School of Administration (ENA), Governors and Prefects working at border areas and who participated in the crisis simulation exercises organized by the Government and IOM.

Between February 2016 to April 2019, five crisis simulation exercises took place in the cities of Matam, Dagana, Kidira, Podor and Bakel, engaging communities, administrative and local authorities, security forces and health services. The exercises prepare local populations and border management authorities to respond to potential security crises by testing and strengthening collaboration and communication between border communities, administrative authorities, security forces, as well as health and relief services. 

“This workshop was essential to identify the topics to be further developed in crisis management trainings”, said Mr. Leopold Wade, a trainer at ENA and former General Director of the Senegalese Territorial Administration.

Mr. Wade added that “the trainings are useful to ENA students and a resource for the current Governors and Prefects appointed in border areas. The crisis simulation exercises in real conditions are fundamental to strengthen the skills acquired through the trainings”. 

The National School of Administration prepares the future Governors and Prefects, who are the one responsible for managing operationally and strategically a crisis in Senegal. The ENA is a prestigious school of administration and a point of reference for the other francophone countries in the region, offering also online courses to other States’ future administrators. Through seminars and international events, IOM Senegal plans to enhance the capacities of the Senegalese institution to promote border crisis management courses also to other key actors in the sub-Saharan region.

The main recommendations presented during the workshop include the elaboration of a training program on crisis management for ENA officials, and capacity-building on crisis management for key authorities.

This activity was organized within the project Community engagement in border security and management, funded by the U.S. Government and implemented by IOM Senegal.

For more information, kindly contact Mr. Massimo Ramanzin, IOM Senegal project coordinator E-mail: mramanzin@iom.int  or Marilena Crosato email : mcrosato@iom.int ; phone +221 33 869 62 00.