Doing Business in Senegal

Subject (Course): International Trade and Business in Senegal. The Port of Dakar

Syllabus:

1. Introduction to the Republic of Senegal (West Africa).
2. Doing Business in Dakar
3. Senegalese economy
4. International Trade of Senegal
5. Port of Dakar
6. Customs Clearance of imported goods in Senegal
7. Business and Investment Opportunities in Senegal:
     - Agriculture and agribusiness
     - Aquaculture
     - Teleservices and information technology
      - Livestock
8. Case Study: Senegalese companies
   - SODEFITEX.
   - SONATEL.
   - SUNEOR Group.
9. Infrastructures in Senegal
10. APIX - Investment Promotion and Major Projects (Invest in Senegal)
11. Introduction to French
12. Access to the Senegalese market
13. Business Plan for Senegal

Objectives of the subject "Doing Business in the Republic of Senegal":

1. To analyze the Senegalese economy and foreign trade
2. To evaluate business opportunities in the Republic of Senegal
3. To explore Senegal's trade relations with the student's country
4. To know Senegal's Free Trade Agreements (FTA)
5. To examine the profile of Senegalese companies
6. To understand the role of Senegal as a gateway to West Africa
7. To develop a business plan for the Senegalese market

Sample of the subject (Doing Business in Senegal):

Mamadou Camara (Fr) representative of EENI for Senegal.

Subject Description (Doing Business in Senegal).

Senegal: one of the less corrupt countries in Africa. Improved business climate.

Gateway to the West African region.

1. Area: 192,000 Km²
2. Senegalese Population: 13.5 millions of people (48 people per Km²).
3. 25% of the population is concentrated in the Dakar region.
4. 55% of Senegalese are under 20 years.
5. The official name: Republique du Senegal
6. Capital: Dakar (2.45 millions of people)
7. The Senegalese official language is French.
8. Other languages are Wolof, Diola, and Mandingo
9. Independence: 1960 (France)
10. The Legal System: based on French civil law
11. Senegal shares borders with Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, the Gambia.
12. The main religion in Senegal: Islam (95% of the population, 10 million)

Senegal belongs to the West African Economic Area of the African Civilization.

1. Léopold Sédar Senghor
2. Cheikh Anta Diop
3. Pathé Diagne
4. Ahmadou Hampaté Bá studied in Senegal

Senegalese economy:

1. The Republic of Senegal (Africa) initiated in last years a deep program of privatization of public companies (telecommunications, energy, tourism, or transportation).
2. Senegal has invested in more than any other nation in West Africa in the telecommunications sector; Senegal is positioned as a leader in the region.
3. The economy of Senegal remains dominated by tertiary sector (60% to the gross domestic product).
4. The primary and secondary sector contributes 20% each to the Senegalese GDP.
5. Senegal is the first nation to have been rated B +/Stable/B in West Africa (Standard and Poor's).
6. The Central Bank of West African States is in Dakar
7. Senegalese GDP growth: 4.8%
8. The inflation: 1.3%

APIX. The Senegalese Agency for Export Promotion is an integrated platform of export services for companies and their associations.

Trans-African Highways:

1. Dakar-Lagos Corridor
2. Cairo-Dakar Corridor
3. Trans-Sahelian Highway

Senegal has preferential access to the markets of:

1. Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
2. West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU)
3. US WAEMU Trade Agreement
4. Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)
5. The European Union: Cotonou Agreement and Generalized System of Preferences.
6. United States (AGOA)
7. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India

Senegal is a member of:

1. New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
2. Afro-Arab cooperation
3. Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
4. Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
5. Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA)
6. African Development Bank
7. Africa (Senegal)-Asia Strategic Partnership (NAASP)
8. Organization for the Development of the Senegal River
9. African Union (AU)
10. Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption
11. Islamic Development Bank
12. Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
13. International Organization of Francophonie
14. World Bank (WB)
15. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
16. United Nations (UN)
17. World Trade Organization (WTO)

Case Study:

SODEFITEX (Development Society of Textile Fibers) was created March 15, 1974 as a public company. On November 13, 2003; it has been privatized, has augmented its capital from 750 million to 3 billion CFA francs, and became the SOCIETY and DEVELOPMENT OF TEXTILE FIBERS.

Sonatel Group provides exhaustive telecommunications solutions in the fields of fixed, mobile, Internet, television and data services to individuals and companies. Leader in Senegal and Mali since 2002, Sonatel is a global and sub-regional reference. Within the West African Economic and Monetary Union, Sonatel has been a hub of Senegal (platform) subregional and a major player in the development of telecommunications in Africa and the world. Sonatel is a business structure for the development of the Senegalese economy.

Group SUNEOR is the first food company in Senegal. The company's activities are based on two operating divisions:
1. The manufacturing and marketing of food products
2. Groundnut sector in Senegal.

SONACOS (Senegal) is a company whose activity is decisive for the internal and external balance of Senegal. Prime factor in social stability by revenue it generates within the country as part of a tour organized, the peanut is both a cash crop and food crop. For export revenues it brings, peanuts offer a significant contribution to the trade balance even though its importance has declined. The SONACOS is undergoing privatization. The tender was launched by the Ministry of Finance and the Government is seeking a strategic investor who has International references serious, proven technical expertise and the financial means to support this revival, take over and finally to realize its sector fullest potential.