Key players in public procurement in Ziguinchor were trained on how to use the APPEL platform. This workshop also allows agents from the Central Directorate of Public Procurement (DCMP) to carry out their role of ex-ante control and provides the private sector with the necessary tools to submit their bids via the platform, explained Ousseynou Cissé.

According to the Director of Statistics and Documentation (DSD) of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARCOP), this new system will allow procurement units (CPMs) to have an account to access the platform.

"This new approach brings not only speed and security, but also traceability to procurement operations. [...] This platform allows contracting authorities to plan and launch their contracts. It also allows private actors to submit bids by preparing their offers, and to receive simultaneously and transparently the minutes generated by this platform. In any case, it is a secure platform," said Ousseynou Cissé.

The deputy governor in charge of development, Alsény Bangoura, who chaired the meeting, stated that "modernizing public procurement through the digitization of procedures represents a major turning point in the governance of public action. It reflects the State's commitment to establishing greater transparency, traceability, fairness, and efficiency in the management of public resources." He added that the workshop also showcased a high-performance system with a significantly increased data processing capacity.

Alsény Bangoura thus invites the population to take ownership of this platform   which is in line with the directive of the Head of State, particularly in the digitalisation and dematerialisation of procedures.