BudgIT Senegal, with support from the World Resources Institute (WRI), organized a community engagement workshop at the EluPaay Hotel in Ziguinchor on March 18, 2025, as part of its Green Project Accountability Project, which aims to equip citizens with clear, accessible information on climate finance in agriculture, energy, water, and sanitation sectors while empowering them to actively track spending, monitor project implementation, and advocate for improved service delivery.

With approximately 60 attendees, including citizens and community leaders, the event emphasized the importance of citizen participation in public finance management to address environmental issues and explored existing government capital projects for the community.  The main stakeholders included local environmental protection associations, youth and women’s organizations, local authorities represented by the deputy mayor, water and forestry representatives, disabled people’s associations, teachers, schoolchildren and local media.

The meeting aimed to provide the citizens of Ziguinchor with clear and accessible information regarding climate financing in the agriculture, energy, water, and sanitation sectors. Furthermore, the meeting focused on building their capacity to monitor allocations from the Green Climate Fund and the green budget. This would empower them to hold their authorities accountable and ensure that these funds are effectively directed toward combating climate change and improving services.