Dakar, Senegal - Senegal is to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade said Thursday in Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Presiding over the inauguration ceremony of the fourth International Exhibition for Renewable Energy and Environment in Africa, which continues until Saturday, the Senegalese leader said imported materials were too expensive for any country because they are paid for in foreign currency. He said 'This is the reason Senegal wants to put in place an energy policy to gradually replace the thermal power plants. The challenge is economic, financial and social.' According to Wade, 'The change will bring Senegal’s capacity for useful energy to the proportion of 60 percent for renewable energy and the rest for fossil fuels or petroleum products.

Wade said that under plans launched by the government, the objective was to provide electricity to all Senegalese citizens in the long run.

'In the short term, we are forced to rent equipment for the production and the transitional phase will last 15 months, maximum. But at the same time, we take this period of time to maintain facilities, he concluded.

Pana 30/04/2011