European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, and Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, visited Senegal on 2 and 3 March to strengthen the strategic partnership between the European Union and Senegal.
The mission took place in the context of ongoing negotiations on a new Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership between the EU and Senegal to reinforce cooperation based on shared interests in security, migration management and investment in sustainable development and new economic opportunities under Global Gateway.
Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for International Partnerships, said: “Senegal is a key democratic partner for the European Union. Through Global Gateway, we are investing in quality infrastructure, sustainable jobs and long-term economic opportunities that benefit the Senegalese people. These investments strengthen regional stability and contribute directly to Europe’s own security.”
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, said: “Security and migration cooperation are central to our partnership. By working together to fight criminal networks and strengthen border and coastal management, we protect lives and promote safer, more orderly migration.”
High-level meetings to advance a strategic partnership
The European delegation was received by H.E. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of the Republic of Senegal, as well as by Yassine Fall, Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs, and other senior government representatives.
Discussions confirmed a shared ambition to build the Strategic comprehensive partnership structured around three interconnected pillars: economic transformation through Global Gateway investments, peace, security and regional stability, and migration and mobility based on shared responsibility.
In a regional context influenced by growing security challenges in the Sahel, the importance of strengthening cooperation to combat terrorist threats, organised crime, migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings and other transnational criminal networks operating along migration routes was underlined.
Strengthening maritime security and border management
During the visit, the Commissioners attended the official handover ceremony under the Joint Operational Programme II (POC II), chaired by the Minister of Interior and Public Security, Mouhamadou Bamba Cissé.
New patrol boats and motorised vessels were handed over to the Senegalese National Police and Gendarmerie, alongside the inauguration of a new Maritime Maintenance Centre.
These assets will reinforce maritime security and coastal surveillance capacities, improve the joint management of migration flows, and strengthen efforts to dismantle migrant smuggling and organised crime networks, while also contributing to the protection of human life at sea.
The new maintenance centre will ensure the long-term operational readiness of the fleet and serve as a centre of excellence for specialised training.
Strengthened security cooperation in recent years, including reinforced maritime and border operations, contributed to a decrease of around 74% in irregular departures last year.
An integrated security–investment approach under Global Gateway
The visit also highlighted the strategic role of EU investment to support Senegal’s economic development. Through Global Gateway, the EU supports industrial development, local value chains and sustainable job creation, particularly for young people.
EU blending instruments have already mobilised significant investments in infrastructure, energy, digitalisation, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. With around €100 million in EU blending funding, projects worth approximately €1.3 billion have already been supported in Senegal.
In this context, Commissioner Síkela visited the Regional Express Train (TER) site together with the Minister of Air and Land Transport, Yankhoba Diémé. The EU, together with the French Development Agency and the Government of Senegal, will finance studies for the extension of Phase 3 of the TER to additional regions.
This initiative supports Senegal’s ambition to strengthen territorial integration and position the country as a regional transport hub. At the regional level, it will also contribute to reinforcing strategic West African corridors, notably the Praia–Dakar–Abidjan axis, enhancing connectivity, competitiveness and inclusive growth.
A strategic partnership for regional stability
The mission illustrates the EU’s integrated approach: combining investment, security cooperation and responsible migration management to build a mutually beneficial partnership with Senegal.
This cooperation has already produced tangible results, including a significant reduction in irregular departures along the Atlantic route and saving lives at sea, supported by joint action against organised criminal networks and strengthened operational cooperation.
Audiovisual material from the mission will be made available on EBS.
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