The steering committee for the Joint Operational Programme II (JOP II) met on July 9, 2026, in Dakar to review mid-term progress, reporting concrete results including construction of 21 border crossing points and handover of 13 vessels to strengthen Senegal's internal security forces. The meeting, chaired by Senegalese Interior Minister Mouhamad Mackar Cissé and EU Ambassador Jean Marc Pisani, commended achievements and reaffirmed commitment to programme objectives.
The JOP II is a five-year programme funded by the European Union with nearly 23 billion CFA francs (34.75 million euros), launched on December 1, 2023, and operating 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. Key partner institutions include the National Police, Gendarmerie, Customs, Ministry of Justice, the Interministerial Committee for Combating Irregular Migration (CILMI), and the National Committee for Combating Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP).
To date, the programme has launched numerous construction projects: 21 Border Crossing Points, one Border Surveillance and Patrol Unit, one Center for the Care of Victims Rescued by Sea in Dakar, four Reinforced Territorial Brigades, and six mobile living units on beaches. A maritime maintenance base has been built and deployed in Dakar, and 13 vessels have been handed over along with dedicated infrastructure. Specialized training and mentoring have also been delivered.
The programme aims to strengthen the fight against smuggling of migrants and human trafficking through targeted training for security forces; optimize territorial coverage of surveillance and control at land borders by providing appropriate human, technical and logistical resources; support defense forces in securing the maritime border with an integrated approach combining operations, legal framework and protection of individuals; protect victims by integrating a human-rights-respecting multidisciplinary approach into the security response; and raise awareness among the population about the risks of irregular migration through strategic, proactive, inclusive communication strengthened by community dialogue.
The steering committee identified priority actions to ensure the programme's success and reaffirmed commitment to reaching established objectives within the given timeframe. The programme is expected to continue until December 2028.