Haidar el Ali, senegalese ecologist, was born in 1953 in Louga, Senegal [1]. His parents were Lebanese immigrants who “got stuck” in Senegal on the route to the United States in the 1930s [1]. After settling in Senegal, the family started multiple furniture stores and workshops in Medina neighborhoods in Dakar [1]. While growing up Ali worked in the family business [1]. However at the age of 25, he had a turning point as he became interested in nature causing him to leave his family business [1]. Once he left the family business, Ali went to France to become a professional scuba diving instructor [1]. Once he returned back to Senegal, he started a diving company in Dakar [1]. He would film what he saw underwater and share those images with local communities and the media which helped raise awareness about humans impact on the marine ecosystem [2] [1].
Haïdar El Ali | |
|---|---|
.jpg) (2008) | |
| Minister of Fisheries of Senegal | |
| Assumed office 2 September 2013 | |
| Ecology Minister of Senegal | |
| In office 5 April 2012 – 2 September 2013 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1953 (age 72–73) |
In 1984, he became the director of Oceanium, an environmental nongovernmental organization based in Dakar [2]. During his leadership, Oceanium focused on community based conversation, reforestation, and sustainable fishing [1]. As the mangroves were disappearing in Senegal between the 1980 and 2005, he organized replanting efforts with hundreds of villages in Casamance [1]. Over the past decade, his effort has led to planting of 152 million mangroves which is the largest reforestation project of its kind in the world [3]. Beyond his role as a President of Oceanium, he served as Senegal's Minister of Education and Minister of Fishering from 2012 to 2014 [1]. He is also the head of Senegal's Green party (FEDES) [1].
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Fortier, Amanda (2016-10-20). "How Haidar el Ali became one of Africa's best-known environmentalists". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- 1 2 "Haidar El Ali". Global Landscapes Forum. Retrieved 2026-04-19.,
- ↑ Nick Loomis; Louise Dewast. "The man helping to save Senegal's mangroves". BBC News (video). BBC. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
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