The Joint Operational Programme: concrete results to strengthen security in Senegal

The Steering Committee members commended the results already achieved thanks to the commitment of all partners and reaffirmed their commitment to continuing efforts to reach the established objectives within the given timeframe.

The Steering Committee meeting was chaired by Mr. Mouhamad Mackar Cissé, Minister of the Interior and Public Security, Mr. Jean Marc Pisani, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Senegal, and attended by technical teams and key stakeholders.

To date, POC 2 has achieved the following key results for the benefit of the internal security forces:

the launch of numerous construction projects, including 21 Border Crossing Points (BCPs), 1 Border Surveillance and Patrol Unit (BSPU), 1 Center for the Care of Victims Rescued by Sea in Dakar (CPCVSM), 4 Reinforced Territorial Brigades (RTBs), and 6 mobile living units on the beaches.

• The construction and deployment of a maritime maintenance base in Dakar.
• The handover of specialized equipment.
• The handover to date of 13 vessels and the construction of dedicated infrastructure to accommodate them.
• Specialized training and mentoring.

The POC II aims to:

• Strengthen the fight against the smuggling of migrants and human trafficking through targeted and ongoing training for our security forces;
• Optimize the territorial coverage of surveillance and control mechanisms at land borders by providing our services with appropriate human, technical, and logistical resources;
• Support the defense forces in securing our maritime border with an integrated approach combining operations, the legal framework, and the protection of individuals;
• Protect victims by integrating a multidisciplinary approach, respectful of human rights, into the security response.
• Raising awareness among the population about the risks of irregular migration through a strategic, proactive, inclusive communication approach, strengthened by community dialogue.

The POC II program is funded by the EU with nearly 23 billion CFA francs (34,750,000 euros). This program began on December 1, 2023, for a duration of five years and operates throughout Senegal.

• It is implemented by Civipol, the technical cooperation operator of the French Ministry of the Interior, in partnership with FIAP, the Spanish cooperation agency, and led by a Senegalese-European team.
• The main partner institutions are the National Police, the Gendarmerie, Customs, the Ministry of Justice, the Interministerial Committee for Combating Irregular Migration (CILMI), and the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP).