Awa Ndoye advocates for performance-driven public procurement in Senegal

Awa Ndoye, a specialist in administration and finance and former Secretary General of the UEMOA Court of Auditors, is advocating for a shift in how public procurement is managed in Senegal. In her book, ‘Externalisation des marchés publics: un levier d’impact et de performance pour l’action publique au Sénégal’, she argues that the focus must move from mere legal compliance to actual performance.

Ndoye emphasizes that outsourcing certain functions related to public contracts should not be confused with the privatization of public procurement. She asserts that ‘outsourcing must not be understood as a privatization of public procurement’ and suggests that, when properly regulated, it can serve as a tool to increase efficiency without transferring control to private actors.

While acknowledging progress in transparency and harmonization within the UEMOA zone, Ndoye identifies the primary challenge as the implementation of rules. She highlights the need to optimize the entire procurement chain, including planning, project maturity, dossier quality, and payment delays, to ensure public spending meets intended needs effectively.