Abstract:
This paper examines water issues in Sahel countries Based on Senegal's experience,. Facing with the decrease of water potential while the water demand increases steadily, public authorities develop a water policy aimed among other objectives to improve water supply particularly in the capital Dakar and promote irrigation in rural areas. However this policy is sectoral, consequently not carried out according integrated management principles. Political, socio-economical, institutional and technical constraints to sustainable water management are identified and ways of improvement discussed.