Senegal: Macky Sall calls for general mobilization in the face of soaring food prices
Senegalese President Macky Sall at the EU-Africa summit on February 18, 2022. AP - John Thys
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The Senegalese president addressed the nation on the eve of the country's 62nd independence anniversary.
While Muslims began Ramadan this Sunday, April 3 and Christians are in the middle of Lent, the Head of State insisted on the issues of food prices and food self-sufficiency.
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After two years without a celebration due to Covid-19, a ceremony to take up arms followed by a " small format
" military parade
in Independence Square will commemorate Senegal's 62nd anniversary this Monday, April 4.
But President Macky Sall's speech was above all a call for rallying, in a context of rising prices linked to the war in Ukraine.
"
Considering the high risk of shortages and soaring prices due to the global crisis, I call for general mobilization to increase and further enhance our agricultural, livestock and fishing products,"
he said.
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To read also: Senegal: Ramadan begins in a context of generalized price increases
“
Meeting the challenge of
food self-sufficiency”
The Senegalese president also detailed having lowered the prices of basic necessities and increased the local rice subsidy to help households.
“But to be protected from the vagaries of the international situation, we must show resilience by winning the battle for food sovereignty as quickly as possible.
These are massive investments that the state continues to devote to the modernization and diversification of the livestock, fishing and agricultural sectors.
Meeting the challenge of food self-sufficiency also facilitates exchanges between production areas and markets.
»
While the theme of this independence day is the defense and security forces and national resilience, Macky Sall also insisted on the continuation of
the "army operational capacity building program
" so that it is ready to ensure the defense of the national territory “
in a turbulent and uncertain global context.
»
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To read also: Senegal: the army takes stock of its operation in Casamance
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