FROM ISOLATION TO INNOVATION

How Mayors are Reimagining Local Governance in Casamance, Senegal

By Governance for Public Goods and Services

July 8^th, 2025

In the heart of Casamance, Senegal, a region long scarred by conflict and silence, a "quiet revolution" is underway with the technical support of UNDP and the financial support of Luxembourg, Denmark and Republic of Korea.

This "quiet revolution" doesn’t involve grand speeches or sweeping reforms from far-off capitals. It begins in small town halls and village squares, where local leaders are choosing dialogue over division, and collective imagination over bureaucratic routine.

Two women stand at the center of this transformation. Mariama Keita, Mayor of Santhiaba Manjack, and Abibatou Diallo, Mayor of Sédhiou, carry on their shoulders the weight of communities once fractured by war and displacement. Their mission is not simply to govern—it is to rebuild trust, restore dignity, and rekindle hope.

Three women seated at a table, one wearing bright yellow speaking confidently into a microphone. Another woman beside her checks her phone, while the third looks on attentively. The atmosphere is engaged and enthusiastic

Rebuild trust, restore dignity, and rekindle hope.

Kicking off the retreat for elected officials on local development in Casamance, Senegal — an initiative led by the Local Development Support Project (PADEL) with technical support from UNDP.

As peace efforts between the Senegalese state and rebel factions slowly take root, families are returning home. But home is not the same as it once was. Schools are still under-equipped, waste piles in the streets, and many citizens feel disconnected from the decisions that affect their lives.

The urgency is real—and so is the opportunity.

A man in a blue shirt takes notes during the local development retreat, focused and engaged in the session.

Two women and two men actively engage in retreat activities. One woman shows a paper to the others, who look at it with interest. One man observes the paper, while the other captures the moment with a photograph.

With the support of the UNDP, a platform was born. Not of walls and logos, but of voices. It brought together mayors from across the region—from the communes of Bona, Vélingara, Kerewane, Medina El Hadj, Oulampane, Djibanar, Boutoupa Camaracounda—each carrying their own struggles, dreams, and determination.

A turning point in history

For Mariama and Abibatou, this platform became more than a meeting space—it became a turning point.

Before, concepts like participatory budgeting and digital public services felt abstract. There was little practical guidance, and few examples to follow. But as they listened to peers from communes like Djibanar, where electronic tax systems had already simplified life for citizens, something shifted. These weren’t distant models—they were lived realities, experienced by people just like them.

Together, they began co-creating solutions: joint waste management strategies, coordinated land governance, shared digital services. They shared tools and mistakes alike, realizing that innovation didn’t require perfection—it required trust.

And the effects began to ripple outward.

Youth and Women Step Into the Circle: A New Era of Inclusive Local Governance

In Santhiaba Manjack and Sédhiou, for the first time, youth and women—long sidelined in local governance—were being invited into decision-making circles. Budgeting sessions were opened to the public. Communities were asked what they needed, what they saw, what they hoped for.

A woman dressed in orange speaks into a microphone during the retreat, smiling brightly as she reads from a paper she’s holding. A man sits beside her, listening attentively.

“It’s the first time I feel like my voice matters,” said a young woman from Santhiaba during a public forum. Her words hung in the air, heavy and luminous at once.

The mayors, once hesitant, now speak with conviction. “Thanks to this platform, we are no longer isolated communes facing our challenges alone. We share ideas, mistakes, and successes. This is what collective innovation looks like,” shared Abibatou Diatta, Deputy Mayor of Sédhiou.

Others echo this newfound energy.

Digitalization is not a distant dream

“The experience from Djibanar with the e-tax system opened our eyes. It showed us that digitalization is not a distant dream, but a practical local solution,” said El Hadji Oumar Kanté, another deputy mayor.

A man in a blue shirt looks at his phone during an unposed moment at the retreat. Behind him is a banner reading 'Projet d'Appui au Développement Local Inclusif' (Support Project for Inclusive Local Development), featuring the logos of UNDP, Governance for Public Goods and Services, and the flags of Luxembourg, Denmark, and the Republic of Korea.

Building the Future

The impact has been real: smoother services, clearer communication, fewer bureaucratic blockades. But perhaps more powerful than any metric is the shift in mindset—from managing problems in silence to solving them together.

As Salif Badji from Boutoupa Camaracounda said, “This platform is not just a space for discussion—it’s a lever for social transformation in our communities.”

Now, the focus turns to the future.

There’s work ahead—formalizing the platform, supporting pilot projects, and ensuring no commune is left behind. But if the journey of these local leaders has shown anything, it is that with space to connect and the courage to learn from one another, communities once divided can become engines of progress.

From Retreat to Rhythm

“What we started in Kolda,” said Deputy Mayor Danfa, “is not just a retreat—it’s a laboratory of ideas for the future of Casamance.”

And so, in a region once known for its silence, a new rhythm is rising—one of collaboration, dignity, and shared destiny.

A woman in an orange outfit holds a microphone and addresses participants during the retreat. Another woman and two men are also in the frame, listening enthusiastically and taking notes.

A woman and a man sit at a table during the retreat, leaning slightly toward each other as they smile and chat. The moment captures a sense of connection and engagement.

Seven people—three women and four men—stand in a loosely organized line in front of a table during the retreat. One person leans forward to write something on the table, while the others look on with positive expressions.

Close-up of a man's hands folding a piece of paper. He is wearing a bright yellow shirt with a checkered pattern.

Two women sit at a table during the retreat, appearing focused and engaged as they listen to someone speaking.

Candid moment from the retreat with two women and a man in the frame. One woman has her back to the camera but is smiling visibly from the side. The other woman and the man are also smiling. Behind them is a banner reading 'Projet d'Appui au Développement Local Inclusif' (Support Project for Inclusive Local Development), featuring the logos of UNDP, Governance for Public Goods and Services, and the flags of Luxembourg, Denmark, and the Republic of Korea.

A woman with long braided hair stands behind a table during the retreat, smiling as she speaks into a microphone. A man sits beside her, listening attentively.

Two men and a woman sit behind a table during the retreat, listening to a woman speaking into a microphone. The man in the middle, wearing what appears to be a uniform, is taking notes, while the others look at their phones. Behind them is a banner reading 'Projet d'Appui au Développement Local Inclusif' (Support Project for Inclusive Local Development), featuring the logos of UNDP, Governance for Public Goods and Services, and the flags of Luxembourg, Denmark, and the Republic of Korea.

A candid moment during the retreat captures a man in a red shirt, focused on the notes of the woman sitting next to him. His hand rests on his chin in a thoughtful pose. The camera is focused on him, with other participants blurred in the background as they engage in discussion.

Footnotes

The governments of Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Republic of Korea fund this initiative through the UNDP Funding Windows. All photos © UNDP Senegal

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FootNotes

The governments of Denmark, Luxembourg, and the Republic of Korea fund this initiative through the UNDP Funding Windows. All photos © UNDP Senegal