Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Talked agricultural exports this morning at length with Professor Abdoulaya Sanokho this morning. Among the products discussed were the massive mangos grown here, baobab powder—the stuff of the delicious baobab drink I had earlier in Mbacke—and tamarind. I suggested strongly to the professor that he work to make contacts with American organic certification companies to certify Senegalese crops for export…
In the afternoon, I met with the representative of the U.S. Department of Commerce here, Steven Morrison, and his staff people, Youhanidou Wane Ba and Alosa Diop, commercial specialists. Over my lunch of grilled cheese sandwich and French fries in the U.S. embassy cafeteria, they listened patiently to my accounts of exploits in Dakar, Touba and lands beyond uncharted, while I benefited greatly from their insights into the scene here and in particular waste management. Alosa told me of an interesting Peace Corps project south of Dakar which pulls out the wastestream organics and composts them at a yard next to the centralized dump that they use. The fact that the dump is centralized may seem insignificant, but it represents a big step away from everybody dumping willy nilly at the edge of town. Tomorrow is my last full day here before returning home (sorely missed) on an early Friday a.m. flight. I will check with the Peace Corps project when I get home.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Dakar's mysterious disappearing waste management
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I came here interested in ventures/collaborations/projects involving solid waste management in Senegal. From my advance research on the subject, a mystery remained about the fate of the AMA project here. The multi-million dollar, 25-year AMA project, the World Bank’s most significant waste management project in Africa, started with competitive bidding four or five years ago. The Italian company AMA won the contract to collect the entire Dakar region, build a transfer station and develop a landfill to replace the out-of-control, polluting Mbeubeus dump. But suddenly after the contract had been implemented for a couple year, the project simply ended. The government stopped payments on its contract, and presumably the bank loan. It was never clear why. Today I spoke with Christian Diou, the World Bank’s infrastructure manager for Dakar. He gave the bank’s understanding of the project breakdown—they don’t know either. Not much more than a year ago, he says, the government simply pulled its payments and terminated the contract. The garbage trucks and facility plans were stopped in their tracks. There was no explanation given by the Ministry of Environment which handled the contract. However, my Senegalese sources, and hints from the internet, indicate that the problem had something to do with labor; that unions formed of the waste workers hired by AMA made unmet demands. Nor should it go unnoticed that once the AMA contract was breached, the French firm, Veolia, moved in to manage the easy collection in downtown Dakar… Perhaps here as in California garbage, like politics, is always local. (Or maybe that French sense of the colonial “droit de seigneur” asserting itself under the table.) Since the AMA meltdown, the central government, says Mr. Diou, has enacted the devolution of waste management authority to the local “commune” governments of Dakar and nearby Rufisque. Those two communes are working together loosely to handle or contract waste collection and management. The result is apparently a patchwork of waste management that the central government has left (perhaps consciously) little understood or known…
Earlier in the day we met with the Ministry of Environment. After first greeting the minister himself, he passed us off to his sub-minister with the garbage portfolio. The one clear message I got from the minister himself was that Mbeubeus must close. Later today I learned from Mr. Diou why the government is so decided to get rid of Mbeubeus—the huge dump is smack in the way of the showcase coastal highway that is the Wade administration’s highest priority public project. The Mbeubeus closure is one waste project that the World Bank and the Senegal government can both get behind, says M. Diou, and the bank will help fund those efforts. But I got the strong impression that further World Bank involvement in waste collection and management here is unlikely—once burned as they were.
I came here interested in ventures/collaborations/projects involving solid waste management in Senegal. From my advance research on the subject, a mystery remained about the fate of the AMA project here. The multi-million dollar, 25-year AMA project, the World Bank’s most significant waste management project in Africa, started with competitive bidding four or five years ago. The Italian company AMA won the contract to collect the entire Dakar region, build a transfer station and develop a landfill to replace the out-of-control, polluting Mbeubeus dump. But suddenly after the contract had been implemented for a couple year, the project simply ended. The government stopped payments on its contract, and presumably the bank loan. It was never clear why. Today I spoke with Christian Diou, the World Bank’s infrastructure manager for Dakar. He gave the bank’s understanding of the project breakdown—they don’t know either. Not much more than a year ago, he says, the government simply pulled its payments and terminated the contract. The garbage trucks and facility plans were stopped in their tracks. There was no explanation given by the Ministry of Environment which handled the contract. However, my Senegalese sources, and hints from the internet, indicate that the problem had something to do with labor; that unions formed of the waste workers hired by AMA made unmet demands. Nor should it go unnoticed that once the AMA contract was breached, the French firm, Veolia, moved in to manage the easy collection in downtown Dakar… Perhaps here as in California garbage, like politics, is always local. (Or maybe that French sense of the colonial “droit de seigneur” asserting itself under the table.) Since the AMA meltdown, the central government, says Mr. Diou, has enacted the devolution of waste management authority to the local “commune” governments of Dakar and nearby Rufisque. Those two communes are working together loosely to handle or contract waste collection and management. The result is apparently a patchwork of waste management that the central government has left (perhaps consciously) little understood or known…
Earlier in the day we met with the Ministry of Environment. After first greeting the minister himself, he passed us off to his sub-minister with the garbage portfolio. The one clear message I got from the minister himself was that Mbeubeus must close. Later today I learned from Mr. Diou why the government is so decided to get rid of Mbeubeus—the huge dump is smack in the way of the showcase coastal highway that is the Wade administration’s highest priority public project. The Mbeubeus closure is one waste project that the World Bank and the Senegal government can both get behind, says M. Diou, and the bank will help fund those efforts. But I got the strong impression that further World Bank involvement in waste collection and management here is unlikely—once burned as they were.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Initiative and help from the Ultimate Inertia
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Hanging around Le Baol this morning, I met an Iranian engineer. He is one of seven working on electrical projects in Theis, Koacola and Touba. Nice fellow. He wanted to get a picture, just as I did. So we exchanged shots and handshakes. It would be interesting to try to put together a U.S.-Iranian project in Senegal…
When Mamemor finally sent a taxi for lunch, I started meeting more of his relatives at Soda’s. “Roots,” in French, was on the television while we talked. Mamemor harangued his young nephews Mustapha and Abdul about how they were dictators and how they just wanted to use other people, while unwilling to work themselves. They had long discussions about self-reliance and the original Mourides values of work, equality and solidarity. Mamemor is very anti-clerical, anti-marabout. He feels many Mourides have strayed far from Bamba’s original teachings. When we went to the market, he complained about all the men sitting around “in their pajamas” all day.
…With all the free time I’ve been having it feels like I’m going native myself. I’m forced to spend time just sitting and looking around. It makes me realize the degree of inertia we Americans push against every day. We cut through it so naturally, most of us don’t even realize we are doing it… Here in Senegal you feel the weight of a motionless force. There is no plan that can be laid, no foundation placed, nothing that can be done about anything outside you—except to pay a constant fealty to the Ultimate Inertia. That seems to be much of the worship here; they praise with a concession to hopelessness… Americans pray with a belief in the Great Plan; faith that we can strive to the image of perfection. One God certainly; but two fashions of devotion…
Hanging around Le Baol this morning, I met an Iranian engineer. He is one of seven working on electrical projects in Theis, Koacola and Touba. Nice fellow. He wanted to get a picture, just as I did. So we exchanged shots and handshakes. It would be interesting to try to put together a U.S.-Iranian project in Senegal…
When Mamemor finally sent a taxi for lunch, I started meeting more of his relatives at Soda’s. “Roots,” in French, was on the television while we talked. Mamemor harangued his young nephews Mustapha and Abdul about how they were dictators and how they just wanted to use other people, while unwilling to work themselves. They had long discussions about self-reliance and the original Mourides values of work, equality and solidarity. Mamemor is very anti-clerical, anti-marabout. He feels many Mourides have strayed far from Bamba’s original teachings. When we went to the market, he complained about all the men sitting around “in their pajamas” all day.
…With all the free time I’ve been having it feels like I’m going native myself. I’m forced to spend time just sitting and looking around. It makes me realize the degree of inertia we Americans push against every day. We cut through it so naturally, most of us don’t even realize we are doing it… Here in Senegal you feel the weight of a motionless force. There is no plan that can be laid, no foundation placed, nothing that can be done about anything outside you—except to pay a constant fealty to the Ultimate Inertia. That seems to be much of the worship here; they praise with a concession to hopelessness… Americans pray with a belief in the Great Plan; faith that we can strive to the image of perfection. One God certainly; but two fashions of devotion…
Sunday, April 20, 2008
My "Visit Senegal" recommendations
Friday, April 18, 2008
We sat tonight under a full moon in the courtyard of Mamemor’s mother’s compound. Later we walked by the Mbacke family mosque, the towers glowing under the moonlight. A side street along the way was filled with drum-driven singing, and I could see the people filling the street dancing in the Senegalese fashion, wide aggressive stepping punctuated with wild rhythmic arm waving and body movements. At one point much of the group danced in loose unison in a single direction to the beat… It’s Friday and drumming, loudspeakers and crowds were fairly commonplace, although I have avoided the gatherings. But when Mamemor mentioned that the group dancing in the street was Baye Fall, I asked excitedly about going over to watch. “No, you don’t want to do that,” he said. “Those kids can get crazy.”
With our plans for Saint Louis abandoned due to delays leaving, I settled back comfortably in Le Baol, attended to very well by the hotel manager “C.D.”. The baol are fashioned after the thatch bungalows inhabited by the rural, pastoral Senegalese…
Tourism came up repeatedly today. The hotel’s owner, M. Mbaye, is a friend of Mamemor’s. I was introduced and caught pieces of their conversation about M. Mbaye’s efforts to promote Senegal tourism. Mamemor’s concerns about the conflicts between the religious population here and the values of tourists came up. Later, this evening, while sitting with Mamemor’s family under the moon, with a perfect cooling breeze keeping away the mosquitoes, while drinking the delicious, milkshake-like juice of the baobab tree, the conversation turned to what-should-be Senegal’s appeal to tourists—the beaches, the welcoming, smiling people, the culture. The main obstacles, I commented, seem to be two: promotion and garbage. Some Americans, well-traveled or curious like my friend Ron, know of Senegal and its culture, usually through the music. But a mass-media Senegal tourism promotion campaign in the States is needed to change the common American misperceptions of Africa, especially of Muslim Africa. I think African-Americans would especially enjoy Senegal. Mamemor doesn’t think so; he thinks they are even more wary of Africa than most Americans—“they want to go to Europe like everybody else.” Maybe, maybe not…
The garbage is another matter. The beauty of the beaches is utterly ruined by the garbage. A person’s first impression of the town of Diourbel is the sea of garbage strewn at its gateway. The Dakar golf course at Technopol will never be what it could when ringed by a wall of garbage. If American tourists came here, the garbage would unfortunately confirm the pre-impressions of backwardness and poor services.
So—a “visit Senegal” ad campaign, clean up the garbage—viola, a multi-million-dollar tourism industry. And one more thing: wireless modems. The tourism ministry would do well to ship in a few containers of Linksys wireless modems to distribute and install in all the hotels. And keep the DSL up!
We sat tonight under a full moon in the courtyard of Mamemor’s mother’s compound. Later we walked by the Mbacke family mosque, the towers glowing under the moonlight. A side street along the way was filled with drum-driven singing, and I could see the people filling the street dancing in the Senegalese fashion, wide aggressive stepping punctuated with wild rhythmic arm waving and body movements. At one point much of the group danced in loose unison in a single direction to the beat… It’s Friday and drumming, loudspeakers and crowds were fairly commonplace, although I have avoided the gatherings. But when Mamemor mentioned that the group dancing in the street was Baye Fall, I asked excitedly about going over to watch. “No, you don’t want to do that,” he said. “Those kids can get crazy.”
With our plans for Saint Louis abandoned due to delays leaving, I settled back comfortably in Le Baol, attended to very well by the hotel manager “C.D.”. The baol are fashioned after the thatch bungalows inhabited by the rural, pastoral Senegalese…
Tourism came up repeatedly today. The hotel’s owner, M. Mbaye, is a friend of Mamemor’s. I was introduced and caught pieces of their conversation about M. Mbaye’s efforts to promote Senegal tourism. Mamemor’s concerns about the conflicts between the religious population here and the values of tourists came up. Later, this evening, while sitting with Mamemor’s family under the moon, with a perfect cooling breeze keeping away the mosquitoes, while drinking the delicious, milkshake-like juice of the baobab tree, the conversation turned to what-should-be Senegal’s appeal to tourists—the beaches, the welcoming, smiling people, the culture. The main obstacles, I commented, seem to be two: promotion and garbage. Some Americans, well-traveled or curious like my friend Ron, know of Senegal and its culture, usually through the music. But a mass-media Senegal tourism promotion campaign in the States is needed to change the common American misperceptions of Africa, especially of Muslim Africa. I think African-Americans would especially enjoy Senegal. Mamemor doesn’t think so; he thinks they are even more wary of Africa than most Americans—“they want to go to Europe like everybody else.” Maybe, maybe not…
The garbage is another matter. The beauty of the beaches is utterly ruined by the garbage. A person’s first impression of the town of Diourbel is the sea of garbage strewn at its gateway. The Dakar golf course at Technopol will never be what it could when ringed by a wall of garbage. If American tourists came here, the garbage would unfortunately confirm the pre-impressions of backwardness and poor services.
So—a “visit Senegal” ad campaign, clean up the garbage—viola, a multi-million-dollar tourism industry. And one more thing: wireless modems. The tourism ministry would do well to ship in a few containers of Linksys wireless modems to distribute and install in all the hotels. And keep the DSL up!
Friday, April 18, 2008
I meet the Khalif
Thursday, April 17, 2008
We saw the Khalif today—what an intense experience! …For the second day, there has been no ADSL to connect to the internet throughout the area. Apparently the problem is with the phone system Sonatel—not a good reflection on the infrastructure. While going into town to check the connection at the cybercafé I had the good luck to find one of the commune’s garbage trucks and to speak with its crew. I found out that the commune operates four trucks, one of them apparently a packer. The small donkey carts bring much of the waste to the trucks. They then go to a dump. Mustafa found out from them where the dump is and we will go there another time… But first we had to get to Touba because, as I found, seeing the Khalif is not just making an appointment… I had thought to wear the grand bou-bou that I had purchased from Soda’s nephew yesterday. But Mamemor said that I might look too much like one of the hippies that hang out around the Grand Mosque smoking pot, and often wearing Baye Fall bou-bous. His general thought was that if I was there as an American businessman, I should look like one. Thus attired, we headed for Touba…
Touba is much as I expected—sprawling with many newer improvements, as much of the growth of the city has occurred in recent years. The City Hall looked new and modern. There is plenty of capital sent here from abroad, both from ex-patriot Mourides and foreign governments, especially the Chinese. There are a noticeably higher proportion of Mercedes cars in Touba… We only had time to drive around the Grand Mosque before heading to the Khalif’s compound.
Once at the Khalif’s compound it was apparent that I wasn’t the only one wanting to see the Khalif… The Khalif is like the Pope to the Mourides, and so, like Saint Peter’s Square in Rome, you will find crowds of the faithful there to see the Khalif, staged in various rooms, with the place permeated by the constant sing-shouting of Islamic praying. One of the main rooms was full of women and children. There was a courtyard with classes of schoolchildren. At one point we were staged in a room full of men of some apparent significance sitting around on the floor. As we wound our way here and there, various people would come to bring us another step closer. Mamemor’s friend the albino seemed to have quite a bit of pull, and he had others working the system to advance me. The maneuvering became much more intense once we got in the room where the Khalif was sitting. I moved seat-by-seat closer to the end of the room where he sat. The closer I got, the more intense was the jostling. The room was not large, maybe 20 feet by 40 feet, if that. The seats were along one side. As a Westerner I think it was expected that I sat in the seats. I was waved to one of the seats closest to those pushing and shoving to see the Khalif. I had to be careful; one man stumbling back clipped me in the throat with his hand. I started to worry about banging my still-vulnerable jaw. A noisy anxious babble was constant. I couldn’t see the Khalif from where I was sitting… This was actually a quiet day; the weekends are much worse… Soon we got the wave from somebody up by the Khalif. As I now know there are plenty of plain-clothes soldiers, government informants and watchful, if not envious, eyes around always. A little more jostling and I was put in the one chair next to the Khalif. He gave some recognition that I was there but still had to heed those others in front of him clawing for blessing and recognition. Every so often he would give a blessing, writing something with his finger in the palms placed up before him, and (as I found out later) spraying a little spittle which the believers immediately wiped on their forehead. This went on for awhile and then Mamemor got his attention. The Khalif is elderly, wearing a blue knit hat. We had a pleasant exchange with the Khalif about what I could do for Senegal and what he could do to help. I remember at one point it got very quiet—the whole place. I’m not sure why; the discussion wasn’t especially significant at that point. It was sort of eerie. The commotion renewed shortly… The Khalif will review my information and indicated that we would talk again soon, with less distraction…
At the conclusion of our talk, I asked for the Khalif’s blessing. He gave the very slightest smile of surprise, but readily wrote on my palm with his finger; Mamemor quickly translated: “May you find God in Touba. There is only one God, not two.” I felt the faint spray of the spittle and wiped it on my forehead…
It looks like I am at the hotel here in Mbacke again tonight. The toilet in the other room didn’t work, so I have another room. The toilet works fine. We had lunch at Mamemor’s mom’s. Café Touba at Soda’s and I will go back to mom’s for dinner soon… I am somewhat homesick; halfway through my trip. I think it best to hang out here for tomorrow. Maybe head back to Dakar via Petit Cote Saturday to get ready for the business week next…
We saw the Khalif today—what an intense experience! …For the second day, there has been no ADSL to connect to the internet throughout the area. Apparently the problem is with the phone system Sonatel—not a good reflection on the infrastructure. While going into town to check the connection at the cybercafé I had the good luck to find one of the commune’s garbage trucks and to speak with its crew. I found out that the commune operates four trucks, one of them apparently a packer. The small donkey carts bring much of the waste to the trucks. They then go to a dump. Mustafa found out from them where the dump is and we will go there another time… But first we had to get to Touba because, as I found, seeing the Khalif is not just making an appointment… I had thought to wear the grand bou-bou that I had purchased from Soda’s nephew yesterday. But Mamemor said that I might look too much like one of the hippies that hang out around the Grand Mosque smoking pot, and often wearing Baye Fall bou-bous. His general thought was that if I was there as an American businessman, I should look like one. Thus attired, we headed for Touba…
Touba is much as I expected—sprawling with many newer improvements, as much of the growth of the city has occurred in recent years. The City Hall looked new and modern. There is plenty of capital sent here from abroad, both from ex-patriot Mourides and foreign governments, especially the Chinese. There are a noticeably higher proportion of Mercedes cars in Touba… We only had time to drive around the Grand Mosque before heading to the Khalif’s compound.
Once at the Khalif’s compound it was apparent that I wasn’t the only one wanting to see the Khalif… The Khalif is like the Pope to the Mourides, and so, like Saint Peter’s Square in Rome, you will find crowds of the faithful there to see the Khalif, staged in various rooms, with the place permeated by the constant sing-shouting of Islamic praying. One of the main rooms was full of women and children. There was a courtyard with classes of schoolchildren. At one point we were staged in a room full of men of some apparent significance sitting around on the floor. As we wound our way here and there, various people would come to bring us another step closer. Mamemor’s friend the albino seemed to have quite a bit of pull, and he had others working the system to advance me. The maneuvering became much more intense once we got in the room where the Khalif was sitting. I moved seat-by-seat closer to the end of the room where he sat. The closer I got, the more intense was the jostling. The room was not large, maybe 20 feet by 40 feet, if that. The seats were along one side. As a Westerner I think it was expected that I sat in the seats. I was waved to one of the seats closest to those pushing and shoving to see the Khalif. I had to be careful; one man stumbling back clipped me in the throat with his hand. I started to worry about banging my still-vulnerable jaw. A noisy anxious babble was constant. I couldn’t see the Khalif from where I was sitting… This was actually a quiet day; the weekends are much worse… Soon we got the wave from somebody up by the Khalif. As I now know there are plenty of plain-clothes soldiers, government informants and watchful, if not envious, eyes around always. A little more jostling and I was put in the one chair next to the Khalif. He gave some recognition that I was there but still had to heed those others in front of him clawing for blessing and recognition. Every so often he would give a blessing, writing something with his finger in the palms placed up before him, and (as I found out later) spraying a little spittle which the believers immediately wiped on their forehead. This went on for awhile and then Mamemor got his attention. The Khalif is elderly, wearing a blue knit hat. We had a pleasant exchange with the Khalif about what I could do for Senegal and what he could do to help. I remember at one point it got very quiet—the whole place. I’m not sure why; the discussion wasn’t especially significant at that point. It was sort of eerie. The commotion renewed shortly… The Khalif will review my information and indicated that we would talk again soon, with less distraction…
At the conclusion of our talk, I asked for the Khalif’s blessing. He gave the very slightest smile of surprise, but readily wrote on my palm with his finger; Mamemor quickly translated: “May you find God in Touba. There is only one God, not two.” I felt the faint spray of the spittle and wiped it on my forehead…
It looks like I am at the hotel here in Mbacke again tonight. The toilet in the other room didn’t work, so I have another room. The toilet works fine. We had lunch at Mamemor’s mom’s. Café Touba at Soda’s and I will go back to mom’s for dinner soon… I am somewhat homesick; halfway through my trip. I think it best to hang out here for tomorrow. Maybe head back to Dakar via Petit Cote Saturday to get ready for the business week next…
Inland via the massive Mbeubeus dump
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Early start to beat the traffic out of Dakar; headed straight for the Mbeubeus (“m-boob-us”) dump/landfill, we decided to skip Saint Louis and head for Touba direct therefrom…
Mbeubeus was all that I had heard—a smoking hell hole, with those making a hellish existence from its dregs. The fellow working his smouldering hole to screen out the metal was a disturbing image, then again maybe it’s just a black-and-white version of Voltaire’s garden. Maybe that’s why they have resisted the government’s attempts to relocate their livelihood. But the reasons why it just can’t work are growing all around the dump. We cruised the area a little and I saw gardeners carrying their metal watering cans up from the groundwater springs to water beautifully green gardens. Maybe the gardens will need to be closed instead of the dump?
I still have quite a few questions about the dump that will require follow up. I didn’t get any means to conduct even an eyeball survey of what was coming in and where it came from. The only trucks I saw on the road in or out were a couple very, very full top load trucks, a hundred or more cubic yards each. I had understood that Canadian or some other researchers were at the landfill but we didn’t try any advance contact and couldn’t find visual directions once there.
The road to Touba was nice. I loved the rural sights, such as the thatched compounds. But there is garbage dumping in large areas blighting that view. Goats can always been seen grazing on a field of garbage. It occurred to me at a point: what would happen if they didn’t have the garbage? Would their livelihood be threatened just like the Mbeubeus scavengers? Almost half of the goats, sheep, and other livestock in Senegal already starve to death.
Theis and Diourbel were nice towns. Diourbel is pretty sleepy; evidently being overshadowed by Mbacke and Touba. Actually Touba is apparently drawing the attention and activity from Mbacke, too… We got to Mbacke about 12:30—it really didn’t take long from Dakar; the road is good. I settled in to a great hotel here with stucco bungalows that look like the circular thatched homes of the rural dwellers. The personnel here are very nice and real. Then we hung out with Mamemor’s extended family. His mom and aunt made lunch. I bought a Baye Fall bou-bou that his nephew made. I met others while we drank lots of café Touba, the strong, sweet dark roast coffee, spiced with diar (“jar”). Before that, while napping at Mamemor’s mom’s place, I caught the Pope’s arrival in the U.S. on CNN; I tried to ignore the silly tired comments that American Catholics are “diverse.” If they were so diverse they wouldn’t be Catholics; nobody is forcing them…
Mustafa and Mamemor’s nephew Mustafa drove me around Mbacke looking at all the garbage around the town… Then back to the hotel. Mamemor brought a fantastic salad, chicken and rice dinner made by his folks before bed. Tomorrow we go into Touba and hopefully meet the Halif (religious leader of the Mourides)…
Early start to beat the traffic out of Dakar; headed straight for the Mbeubeus (“m-boob-us”) dump/landfill, we decided to skip Saint Louis and head for Touba direct therefrom…
Mbeubeus was all that I had heard—a smoking hell hole, with those making a hellish existence from its dregs. The fellow working his smouldering hole to screen out the metal was a disturbing image, then again maybe it’s just a black-and-white version of Voltaire’s garden. Maybe that’s why they have resisted the government’s attempts to relocate their livelihood. But the reasons why it just can’t work are growing all around the dump. We cruised the area a little and I saw gardeners carrying their metal watering cans up from the groundwater springs to water beautifully green gardens. Maybe the gardens will need to be closed instead of the dump?
I still have quite a few questions about the dump that will require follow up. I didn’t get any means to conduct even an eyeball survey of what was coming in and where it came from. The only trucks I saw on the road in or out were a couple very, very full top load trucks, a hundred or more cubic yards each. I had understood that Canadian or some other researchers were at the landfill but we didn’t try any advance contact and couldn’t find visual directions once there.
The road to Touba was nice. I loved the rural sights, such as the thatched compounds. But there is garbage dumping in large areas blighting that view. Goats can always been seen grazing on a field of garbage. It occurred to me at a point: what would happen if they didn’t have the garbage? Would their livelihood be threatened just like the Mbeubeus scavengers? Almost half of the goats, sheep, and other livestock in Senegal already starve to death.
Theis and Diourbel were nice towns. Diourbel is pretty sleepy; evidently being overshadowed by Mbacke and Touba. Actually Touba is apparently drawing the attention and activity from Mbacke, too… We got to Mbacke about 12:30—it really didn’t take long from Dakar; the road is good. I settled in to a great hotel here with stucco bungalows that look like the circular thatched homes of the rural dwellers. The personnel here are very nice and real. Then we hung out with Mamemor’s extended family. His mom and aunt made lunch. I bought a Baye Fall bou-bou that his nephew made. I met others while we drank lots of café Touba, the strong, sweet dark roast coffee, spiced with diar (“jar”). Before that, while napping at Mamemor’s mom’s place, I caught the Pope’s arrival in the U.S. on CNN; I tried to ignore the silly tired comments that American Catholics are “diverse.” If they were so diverse they wouldn’t be Catholics; nobody is forcing them…
Mustafa and Mamemor’s nephew Mustafa drove me around Mbacke looking at all the garbage around the town… Then back to the hotel. Mamemor brought a fantastic salad, chicken and rice dinner made by his folks before bed. Tomorrow we go into Touba and hopefully meet the Halif (religious leader of the Mourides)…
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The cost of Senegal's garbage
I saw firsthand today how the garbage problem is undermining Senegal’s economic prosperity. Piles of garbage have been thrown over the ridge above the Technopol development area, which is also a very beautiful wetland preserve of hundreds of acres, also the site of the new but sorely undeveloped Dakar golf course…
I left the President Meridian this morning after a brief but fascinating talk with Heinz about nuclear power—just recently pushed by both America’s and Senegal’s presidents—as a solution to global warming, with the probably insurmountable concerns which would have to be addressed by global cooperation: safe operation, political questions of stability and terrorism threat, fuel for arms, nuclear waste management, etc… I left the President to begin our travels through the Senegalese hinterlands—to Touba and land beyond uncharted. I will miss the cosmopolitan excitement there. But before heading out tomorrow, we saw the city water treatment facility near the Technopol site, surrounded by lush plant nurseries. Then we drove above the palm trees and wetlands to see children playing in garbage covering, almost entirely, the ridges around the site. We saw further health concerns at the nearby street food market where reeking garbage piles sit uncollected next to the food vendors. Tomorrow we will stop at the country’s one landfill which, as I understand, is surrounded by choleric vegetable gardens… M. Libasse dreams of cleaning up the hillside around Technopol and using the treated water to finish the golf grass. Something has to start somewhere…
I left the President Meridian this morning after a brief but fascinating talk with Heinz about nuclear power—just recently pushed by both America’s and Senegal’s presidents—as a solution to global warming, with the probably insurmountable concerns which would have to be addressed by global cooperation: safe operation, political questions of stability and terrorism threat, fuel for arms, nuclear waste management, etc… I left the President to begin our travels through the Senegalese hinterlands—to Touba and land beyond uncharted. I will miss the cosmopolitan excitement there. But before heading out tomorrow, we saw the city water treatment facility near the Technopol site, surrounded by lush plant nurseries. Then we drove above the palm trees and wetlands to see children playing in garbage covering, almost entirely, the ridges around the site. We saw further health concerns at the nearby street food market where reeking garbage piles sit uncollected next to the food vendors. Tomorrow we will stop at the country’s one landfill which, as I understand, is surrounded by choleric vegetable gardens… M. Libasse dreams of cleaning up the hillside around Technopol and using the treated water to finish the golf grass. Something has to start somewhere…
Monday, April 14, 2008
A busy day of business
Monday, April 14, 2008
Started with coffee in the shop downstairs at the President. Had the luck to be invited to sit with Heinz Leuenberger, director of the environmental management branch of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, based now in Vienna. We had, for me, a very fascinating discussion of international developments, from the changes in Vienna since the opening of East Europe (and the amazing speed with which it has reassumed its role as a cultural capital—Hapsburgs redux), to the looming clash between Russia and China over Eastern Russia, where energy resources, space and cultural affinities may be too great for China to resist. Heinz is here for the big renewable energy conference being held at the hotel all this week…
Mustafa, our driver, was there to take me just as I finished coffee. I made the mistake of leaving my jacket which made Mamemor very unhappy with me, because we were going to meet bankers with some other prospective Senegalese associates. Specifically we met with the charming Oumy Bar Diouf, a “chef d’agence” of Ecobank. The bank, active throughout West Africa, is very interested in expanding its portfolio in the works that we are planning. I believe that I effectively conveyed the applicable principles of non-recourse project financing and available American guarantees. I think she was jazzed. We discussed their loan approval process and possible strategic alliance; I promised to get back to speak with her after doing my informal field analysis and before returning home… We then visited the factory of our associate Mr. Ndiaye, near the oil refinery. I was somewhat disturbed by the lack of worker safety assurance. Mamemor and I later talked at length about how to assure improvements in that aspect for our projects…
Afterwards we met with M. Libasse Niang at his bureau to prepare for our meeting with the minister of agricultural development downtown. The government has an aggressive policy to expand agriculture, recognizing the opportunity to relieve urban overcrowding and promote the economy and welfare of the people at the same time. The downtown this afternoon was busy and active, but we had to cool our heels for a good couple hours before the minister and two of his staff could see us. The minister himself had to beg off early for a meeting with an important Saudi… We all agreed that in the end the meeting was productive; the staff people promising full support for the Cap International project. But it took them a while to understand that this was a private project (which they say they never see) which would ultimately get private, albeit guaranteed, financing—not a handout, not a “gift” from the Saudis or any others, rather a plan to put agriculture in place. Fortunately we had the redoubtable M. Libasse to convey our plans. I have seen many a smooth lobbyist in my day—they are born not made: an engineering contractor by training, M. Libasse is a born lobbyist…
After dropping everybody back at M. Libasse’s bureau, Mamemor and I headed back toward the hotel. We stopped on the way to the restaurant we had been to on Saturday for breakfast; they wouldn’t let Mamemor bring in his own bottled water, so he insisting on leaving. On the way out there were soldiers along the road by the car and the road, usually crowded, was suddenly deserted. Mamemor called it: “the President is probably coming.” And indeed he did with motorcycle cops, sirens, SUVs and limos screaming by. Maybe going to the airport I said. Maybe the President was going to the President hotel, said Mamemor and again he called it exactly. By the time we got to the hotel they were all there, with the presidential guard. I got myself in a picture with one of them—very good uniforms. President Wade ducked out very shortly before we could see him, but Mamemor spotted Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, the minister of foreign affairs (our Secretary of State). He is very important—Mamemor and I had just been speaking on the way to the hotel of the Senegalese government’s growing importance on the world stage, as not just the broker of West African development (witness the assumption of the trial of the ex-Congo president), but even in matters as paramount as Iranian-American relations (vis President Wade’s meeting with Ahmadinejad this weekend. That said, Dr. Gadio was very accessible and friendly; he had studied in America and spoke English fluently, and as clear evidence of his civility—he let me have a picture with him. Afterwards with Mamemor, I found the restaurant down by the waterfront that I didn’t know about—incredible setting, pricey but worth-it buffet. In the elevator up to the room, I saw Heinz again; he says the President and Senegalese top officials will be speaking at the conference this week… All-in-all a fantastic day and productive day…
Started with coffee in the shop downstairs at the President. Had the luck to be invited to sit with Heinz Leuenberger, director of the environmental management branch of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, based now in Vienna. We had, for me, a very fascinating discussion of international developments, from the changes in Vienna since the opening of East Europe (and the amazing speed with which it has reassumed its role as a cultural capital—Hapsburgs redux), to the looming clash between Russia and China over Eastern Russia, where energy resources, space and cultural affinities may be too great for China to resist. Heinz is here for the big renewable energy conference being held at the hotel all this week…
Mustafa, our driver, was there to take me just as I finished coffee. I made the mistake of leaving my jacket which made Mamemor very unhappy with me, because we were going to meet bankers with some other prospective Senegalese associates. Specifically we met with the charming Oumy Bar Diouf, a “chef d’agence” of Ecobank. The bank, active throughout West Africa, is very interested in expanding its portfolio in the works that we are planning. I believe that I effectively conveyed the applicable principles of non-recourse project financing and available American guarantees. I think she was jazzed. We discussed their loan approval process and possible strategic alliance; I promised to get back to speak with her after doing my informal field analysis and before returning home… We then visited the factory of our associate Mr. Ndiaye, near the oil refinery. I was somewhat disturbed by the lack of worker safety assurance. Mamemor and I later talked at length about how to assure improvements in that aspect for our projects…
Afterwards we met with M. Libasse Niang at his bureau to prepare for our meeting with the minister of agricultural development downtown. The government has an aggressive policy to expand agriculture, recognizing the opportunity to relieve urban overcrowding and promote the economy and welfare of the people at the same time. The downtown this afternoon was busy and active, but we had to cool our heels for a good couple hours before the minister and two of his staff could see us. The minister himself had to beg off early for a meeting with an important Saudi… We all agreed that in the end the meeting was productive; the staff people promising full support for the Cap International project. But it took them a while to understand that this was a private project (which they say they never see) which would ultimately get private, albeit guaranteed, financing—not a handout, not a “gift” from the Saudis or any others, rather a plan to put agriculture in place. Fortunately we had the redoubtable M. Libasse to convey our plans. I have seen many a smooth lobbyist in my day—they are born not made: an engineering contractor by training, M. Libasse is a born lobbyist…
After dropping everybody back at M. Libasse’s bureau, Mamemor and I headed back toward the hotel. We stopped on the way to the restaurant we had been to on Saturday for breakfast; they wouldn’t let Mamemor bring in his own bottled water, so he insisting on leaving. On the way out there were soldiers along the road by the car and the road, usually crowded, was suddenly deserted. Mamemor called it: “the President is probably coming.” And indeed he did with motorcycle cops, sirens, SUVs and limos screaming by. Maybe going to the airport I said. Maybe the President was going to the President hotel, said Mamemor and again he called it exactly. By the time we got to the hotel they were all there, with the presidential guard. I got myself in a picture with one of them—very good uniforms. President Wade ducked out very shortly before we could see him, but Mamemor spotted Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, the minister of foreign affairs (our Secretary of State). He is very important—Mamemor and I had just been speaking on the way to the hotel of the Senegalese government’s growing importance on the world stage, as not just the broker of West African development (witness the assumption of the trial of the ex-Congo president), but even in matters as paramount as Iranian-American relations (vis President Wade’s meeting with Ahmadinejad this weekend. That said, Dr. Gadio was very accessible and friendly; he had studied in America and spoke English fluently, and as clear evidence of his civility—he let me have a picture with him. Afterwards with Mamemor, I found the restaurant down by the waterfront that I didn’t know about—incredible setting, pricey but worth-it buffet. In the elevator up to the room, I saw Heinz again; he says the President and Senegalese top officials will be speaking at the conference this week… All-in-all a fantastic day and productive day…
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Australians see pot of gold
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA -- 04/13/08 -- Mineral Deposits Limited (TSX: MDM)(ASX: MDL) is pleased to announce that it has executed documentation and commenced drawdown of the first component of a debt financing package for the further construction and development of the Sabodala Gold Project ("Sabodala") located in the Republic of Senegal, west Africa. The US$35 million Revolving Working Capital Facility has been provided by RMB Australia Holdings Limited and Macquarie Bank Limited.
Sabodala is situated some 650 kilometres east of the capital Dakar and within the Birimian belt and about 90 kilometres from major gold discoveries in Mali. MDL and the Government of the Republic of Senegal ("GRS") have established an operating company to complete the project and then mine the deposit under the terms of the Mining Convention between them. MDL has a 90% holding and GRS a 10% free-carried interest in the new company (Sabodala Gold Operations SA).
The project has proven and probable reserves totalling 1.4 million tonnes of gold within a global gold resource of 2.74 million ounces. Sabodala is now 45% complete and remains on schedule to commission the two million tonne treatment plant in late September 2008. The company anticipates an initial gold pour in late October 2008.
Sabodala is situated some 650 kilometres east of the capital Dakar and within the Birimian belt and about 90 kilometres from major gold discoveries in Mali. MDL and the Government of the Republic of Senegal ("GRS") have established an operating company to complete the project and then mine the deposit under the terms of the Mining Convention between them. MDL has a 90% holding and GRS a 10% free-carried interest in the new company (Sabodala Gold Operations SA).
The project has proven and probable reserves totalling 1.4 million tonnes of gold within a global gold resource of 2.74 million ounces. Sabodala is now 45% complete and remains on schedule to commission the two million tonne treatment plant in late September 2008. The company anticipates an initial gold pour in late October 2008.
President Wade on Senegal-India trade
Some important excerpts from the speech of President Wade in India, April 8, 2008
"It is much significant to note that trade between India and West Africa have tripled in the 2002-2007 period. That makes India the first partner of Senegal in our exports."
"The bilateral cooperation between India and Senegal is certainly among others an example of what we can achieve based on our complementarities. The Senegalese – Indian partnership covers in fact areas as various as agriculture with our national program of self sufficiency in rice, chemical industries from Senegal’s phosphates, vehicle assembly and the exploitation of iron ore."
"Furthermore the Export Import Bank of India just opened a 2nd office in Dakar after the one in Johannesburg. An institutional frame work like TEAM 9 and its credit line also shows through its concrete achievements the innovating South-south cooperation model India and Africa can develop durably by creating a "value added" compared to classical forms of cooperation."
"It is much significant to note that trade between India and West Africa have tripled in the 2002-2007 period. That makes India the first partner of Senegal in our exports."
"The bilateral cooperation between India and Senegal is certainly among others an example of what we can achieve based on our complementarities. The Senegalese – Indian partnership covers in fact areas as various as agriculture with our national program of self sufficiency in rice, chemical industries from Senegal’s phosphates, vehicle assembly and the exploitation of iron ore."
"Furthermore the Export Import Bank of India just opened a 2nd office in Dakar after the one in Johannesburg. An institutional frame work like TEAM 9 and its credit line also shows through its concrete achievements the innovating South-south cooperation model India and Africa can develop durably by creating a "value added" compared to classical forms of cooperation."
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Senegal's president Wade, head of OIC, meets Ahmadinejad
ISNA - Tehran Service: Foreign Policy
TEHRAN, April. 11 (ISNA) - In his meeting with Senegal's president, presently the head of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), in Mashhad, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the only solution to the Palestine crisis was respecting its people's opinion.
Ahmadinejad called Israeli acts in Palestine the greatest violation of human rights, saying, "The Palestine issue is a criterion for the nations and governments' loyalty to democracy, human rights and freedom."
Regarding the positive and constructive relations between Iran and Senegal, Ahmadinejad said that Iran would recognize no limitation for conveying its valuable experience to the countries having friendly ties with Iran.
Expressing his gratitude for Iran's support for Islamic nations, Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade said after being elected for the presidency of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), he had regarded Iran as his first choice for consultation.
TEHRAN, April. 11 (ISNA) - In his meeting with Senegal's president, presently the head of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), in Mashhad, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the only solution to the Palestine crisis was respecting its people's opinion.
Ahmadinejad called Israeli acts in Palestine the greatest violation of human rights, saying, "The Palestine issue is a criterion for the nations and governments' loyalty to democracy, human rights and freedom."
Regarding the positive and constructive relations between Iran and Senegal, Ahmadinejad said that Iran would recognize no limitation for conveying its valuable experience to the countries having friendly ties with Iran.
Expressing his gratitude for Iran's support for Islamic nations, Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade said after being elected for the presidency of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), he had regarded Iran as his first choice for consultation.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Senegal growth to grow
April 10 (Bloomberg) -- Senegal's economy will probably expand an average of more than 5.5 percent over the ``medium term'' as investment increases and exports of chemicals, such as phosphates, recover, the International Monetary Fund said.
Growth will likely accelerate from an estimated 4.8 percent in 2007, the Washington-based lender said in a statement on its Web site yesterday. The government needs to ``anticipate and limit'' the impact on the economy of a slowdown in global economic growth, the IMF also said.
Growth will likely accelerate from an estimated 4.8 percent in 2007, the Washington-based lender said in a statement on its Web site yesterday. The government needs to ``anticipate and limit'' the impact on the economy of a slowdown in global economic growth, the IMF also said.
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