However, contrary to French departments, departments in Senegal have no political power (no departmental assembly), and are merely local administrative structures of the central state, in charge of carrying out some administrative services as well as controlling the activities of the communes within the department.
Ipak, za razliku od francuskih departmana departmenti u Senegalu nemaju nikakvu političku moć (ne postoji njihova skupština), i oni predstavljaju samo lokalne administrativne strukture države, zadužene za brigu o nekim administrativnim uslugama kao i za kontrolu aktivnosti komuna unutar departmenta.