Spain and Senegal strengthen their bilateral defence cooperation

The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, and her Senegalese counterpart, General Birame Diop, after signing the memorandum at the Ministry of Defense headquarters

The Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles, received her Senegalese counterpart, General Birame Diop, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence. The main objective of the meeting was the signing of a new memorandum of understanding, which updates and expands military cooperation between the two countries. The signing of cooperation agreements is a key element of Defence Diplomacy.

The new agreement replaces the one signed in 2011 and will serve to consolidate the close bilateral relationship the two countries maintain in defence matters, incorporating new areas of collaboration such as maritime security, military support in disaster management, cybersecurity, international humanitarian law, the role of women, and the consequences of climate change.

Common interests and values

During the meeting, Margarita Robles highlighted "Senegal's role as a reliable partner, with whom we share the interests and values of democratic societies".

Both ministers expressed their desire to continue working together in the bilateral, European Union, and African contexts, and discussed other issues of common interest, including cooperation in military training.

Robles highlighted the priority Spain gives Senegal in allocating places to study at Spanish military training centres. She also praised the Senegalese students' excellent performance and their interest in learning Spanish.

Non official translation