The agriculture ministers of Mauritania and Senegal took part in the first meeting of the Regional Coordination Committee for the Senegal River Basin Community Resilience and Development Programme in Dakar on September 29. The World Bank funds the programme; officials said the basin’s agricultural potential could support food security, rural incomes and jobs.

The meeting reviewed findings from a value-chain study and considered a local cross-border cooperation group. Participants also discussed preparing an annual roadmap to coordinate activities and improve the effectiveness of programme interventions; the report announced no programme budget or new financing decision.