Advancing Circular Economy and Research Cooperation in Senegal

As part of my work with the Africa Institute of Hochschule Neu-Ulm and the DAAD-funded STAIRE project, I participated in a project mission to Senegal focused on strengthening research cooperation and exploring pathways toward sustainable waste management and circular economy solutions.

The mission was organised in collaboration with the Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft (German–African Business Association) and brought together a diverse delegation including German and Senegalese researchers, representatives from waste management and circular economy companies, and policy actors from both Germany and Senegal. The STAIRE project team was joined by researchers from our Senegalese partner institution, Université Gaston Berger, reinforcing the project’s strong emphasis on international and interdisciplinary collaboration.

A key part of the mission was a field visit to the Mbeubeuss landfill on the outskirts of Dakar, one of the largest waste disposal sites in West Africa. There, we engaged in in-depth discussions with SONAGED S.A., Senegal’s national integrated waste management company. The exchange focused on the country’s ambitious PROMOGED programme, which aims to modernise solid waste management systems with support from international donors such as the World Bank. These discussions provided valuable insights into the operational, environmental, and institutional challenges of waste management in rapidly growing urban contexts, as well as the potential for circular economy approaches to drive systemic change.

Beyond field engagement, the mission also involved high-level policy dialogue. Our delegation was received by the Senegalese Minister of Urban Planning, Housing and Public Hygiene, who highlighted Senegal’s openness to international investment and cooperation in the waste management sector. The visit concluded with a diplomatic exchange hosted by the German Ambassador to Senegal, where we discussed Senegal’s political and economic landscape and opportunities for German–Senegalese collaboration.

On the second day, I contributed to a sector conference on the future of waste management and recycling in Senegal, where the activities and outcomes of the STAIRE project were presented to a broad audience of practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. Our Senegalese partners from Université Gaston Berger shared their research on biogas production using local and invasive plant species, demonstrating the strong applied and context-specific focus of the collaboration.

This project mission strengthened my experience in international research cooperation, stakeholder engagement, and policy-oriented dialogue in a West African context. It also deepened my understanding of how research, public institutions, and private sector actors can jointly contribute to sustainable development and circular economy transitions. The connections and exchanges formed during this mission continue to inform my work and reinforce the importance of cross-border collaboration in addressing complex environmental challenges.