Strengthening Thiès' International Influence: City Partnerships and Cooperation

Thiès is engaged in decentralized cooperation with the city of Cergy (France), with an agreement signed in 2006, and also maintains ties with Caen and Solingen (Germany). The city hosted a mission from Cergy in July 2024 and sent a delegation of elected officials to Cergy in 2023. These partnerships have resulted in concrete projects: school correspondence between Lycée Malick Sy in Thiès and Lycée Alfred Kastler in Cergy, the international urban planning workshop "Thiès, Crossroads City" in 2012, and solidarity exhibitions and festivals. In 2026, Thiès gained visibility with the National Day on April 4th and the National Youth Week. The extension of the TER (Regional Express Train) to Thiès is supported by the AFD, and the Manufactures des Arts décoratifs receive diplomatic delegations. This mission mobilizes the diaspora to expand these partnerships: identify new active twin cities, facilitate access to international funding, and promote the city's projects to investors and institutions. Projects to be highlighted include mobility (traffic lights, TER), cleanliness, culture, health, and youth. It also seeks diaspora experts (urban planning, engineering, municipal management) for technical support in their implementation.