Cooperation: Isabelle Rosabrunetto pays a working visit to Senegal

I. Rosabrunetto et le Dr A. Ndiaye ©Affro Villageois

This visit helped strengthen the links of friendship between the two States as Mrs Rosabrunetto was received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Senegalese Abroad, and signed a sectoral Framework Agreement in the area of Health with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Social Action, Dr Abibou Ndiaye. This Agreement will strengthen relations between the two countries in a priority sector for cooperation, representing over 30% of the funding currently allocated to Senegal by the Principality. In addition, on the same day she signed a Protocol aimed at “Strengthening treatment of sickle cell anaemia in Senegal” confirming Monaco’s continued support for the Senegalese Ministry with a view to decentralising the treatment of people affected by this disease which is very widespread on the African continent.

On this occasion, Mrs Rosabrunetto reaffirmed that “Monaco stands alongside the State of Senegal to implement its national strategy to promote health, especially the health of women, children and adolescents, the fight against disease and the capacity–building of health professionals.”

I. Rosabrunetto en visite au Sénégal ©Affro Villageois

In addition, the Monaco delegation was able to accompany the Hospital Center of the Sovereign Order of Malta on its visits in the local area. This organisation is leading a programme to improve the orthopaedic paediatric health offer in Senegal, a programme which has already enabled some fifty disabled children to undergo operations.

There was also a meeting with the Director of the Maternal and Child Health division in the presence of our partner, the Mérieux Foundation, to present the progress but also the delays of the pilot project “developing a mother-and-child hub at the Thiadiaye health centre”.

Madame Rosabrunetto also discussed issues of school food in Senegal with the Representative of the World Food Programme, Mr Pierre Lucas. She promised him that Monaco would renew its support for the “Model school canteens” programme, which it has supported since 2020.

Visite de la DCI au Sénégal ©Affro Villageois

Finally, the visitors were shown the Cuomo Paediatric Cardio Centre in Dakar. This is in fact one of the four treatment structures in Africa that perform operations on children under the MCH framework (along with the Festoc Centre in Bamako, the military hospital in Antananarivo and the University Hospital of Tingandogo in Ouagadougou).

Monaco Collectif Humanitaire comprises 16 Monegasque member Organisations of International Solidarity and several partners (Monaco Cardiothoracic Centre, Princess Grace Hospital Centre, etc.). It is led by the Department of International Cooperation and was celebrating 15 years in Dakar. At the anniversary ceremony, Mrs Rosabrunetto highlighted that “after 15 years, thanks to the dedication of its volunteers and the loyalty of its donors, the Collectif has achieved a remarkable success on the medical and human level (...) with 515 children undergoing operations.”

We should recall that bilateral cooperation between the Principality of Monaco and the Republic of Senegal was initiated in 2004: a total of over 8 million euros have been invested in Senegal by Monaco, to promote health, food security, education and child protection, as well as for access to decent work.

*The Monaco delegation was made up of:

• Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation;
• Me Guédel Ndiaye, Consul for Monaco to Senegal;
• Laetitia Sarrazin, Head of Programmes for the Department of International Cooperation;
• Bastien Nicaise, Head of Programmes at the Department of International Cooperation;
• Candice Manuello, MCH Advisor to the Department of International Cooperation;
• Arnaud Pianta, Head of projects at the Department of International Cooperation;
• Ramatoulaye Sarr, Coordinator of Monegasque Cooperation in Senegal.