Ndeye Awa Mbodj

President of the Network of Parliament for Promoting the Defense and the Integration of Senegalese Diaspora (Senegal)

HON. NDEYE AWA MBODJ, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and President of the Network of Parliament for Promoting the Defense and Integration of Senegalese Diaspora, delivered her speech on the parliamentary contributions to the sustainable development. As a form of economic development aimed for reconciling economic and social progress with environmental conservation, H.E. Mbodj said that sustainable development should combine several requirements: fulfilling present and future generations’ basic needs, improving the quality of life, strengthening of rights and freedom, and generating new forms of renewable energy. H.E. Mbodj added that a decree on the establishment, organization and functioning of the National Commission for Sustainable Development was introduced in Senegal. The missions assigned to the new structure revolved around the promoting sustainable development, ensuring its integration into all state policies, following the implementations of the outcome of international meetings on this issue, promoting synergy among multicultural environmental disputes, developing international cooperation, and lastly, approving and monitoring the national strategy for sustainable development and response related plans.

Furthermore, H.E. Mbodj explained how different institutional arrangements and consultation frameworks have helped to contribute to good governance by mastering and sharing resources and information, transparency and participatory approach including strengthening the involvement and accountability of non-state actors (local authorities, CBOs, public, private sector). H.E. Mbodj added that, in Senegal, a mission was assigned to the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development to manage natural resources and the environment in order to help reduce poverty in a sustainable development perspective. She mentioned the creation of the Parliamentary Network for Environmental Protection at the National Assembly in 1996 and described its role as “taking a part of a dynamic support to governments, local communities and environmental stakeholders to promote sustainable development and good environmental governance.” Lastly, H.E. Mbodj emphasized the need for collaboration between governmental and local authorities in order for an effective sustainable development to occur.