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  Handover of service to Senegal Numerique SA: Cheikh Bakhoum hands over to Isidore Diouf
Handover of service to Senegal Numerique SA: Cheikh Bakhoum hands over to Isidore Diouf
In short: 

After 10 years at the head of the former State IT Agency which became Senegal Numerique SA, Cheikh Bakhoum passes the baton to Isidore Diouf, newly appointed Director General of SENUM SA at the end of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Three weeks later, the installation of the new Director and the handover of service with his predecessor took place successively this Friday, June 7, 2024 at the headquarters of Senegal Numerique SA located in Pikine Technopole. The new leader responsible for guiding the country's digital policy defined by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, outlined the broad outlines of his vision. It considers digital technology as an engine of development at all levels (economic, industrial, health, educational, etc.) and places Senegal Numerique, “a strategic State enterprise”, at the heart of this transformation.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Senegal Numerique SA, Professor Diégane Sène, chaired the installation session of Mr. Diouf in his role as Managing Director of Senegal Numerique SA. Following this republican ritual, the two directors general had a long tête-à-tête marking the start of the handover, in the presence of the representative of the Administrative and Financial Affairs Inspectorate of the Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital.

The public handover ceremony was marked by a series of speeches. The general secretary of Senegal Numerique SA, Dr Mouhamadou Lô, after a brief introduction, first gave the floor to the President of the Association of Company Agents, Biram Sow, who, on behalf of the staff, thanked the General Director outgoing for his efforts to improve the living conditions of workers and welcomed his successor, not without promising to send him a list of urgent actions desired for the benefit of staff.

The one who will have spent 9 years and 11 months at the head of the structure thus hands over by taking stock of his magisterium. “It is not easy to summarize the results of an almost ten-year adventure in a few lines,” warned Mr. Bakhoum who then listed the flagship projects that he piloted, notably Smart Sénégal, PAMA, GIRAFE, the deployment of nearly 4400 km of optical fibers, the SHARE submarine cable, the construction and commissioning in 2021 of the Diamniadio national datacenter, the dematerialization of administrative procedures, etc. Finally, he expressed his satisfaction at having fulfilled his duty and sent his best wishes for success to his successor, Isidore Diouf.

Recalling that the digital economy represents 3,3% of GDP and that the Internet penetration rate is around 46% according to 2021 statistics, the new Managing Director of Senegal Numerique SA highlighted the under-digitalization of the administration and its impacts on the daily lives of citizens. To succeed, it identifies key elements: the construction of a robust and secure infrastructure, the role of control tower in the compilation of the State's digital programs, an inclusive approach with the DSI, as well as the sharing of its vision for better collaboration with stakeholders in the field.

He emphasizes the importance of the presidential directives, stressing that their implementation requires quality management, high-quality service, discipline, rigor and hard work, values ​​that are dear to him. He also reaffirms that Senum SA cannot, alone, carry the country's entire digital strategy and calls for openness towards stakeholders, by promoting a regulated and inclusive framework with startups, in order to avoid a fragmented approach.

Isidore Diouf assures, finally, that his hobby horse will be to ensure a high quality of service.

07th June 2024

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