The Diplomat
The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, along with his Senegalese counterpart, Mouhamadou Bamba Cissé, presided this Tuesday over the donation of two coastal vessels to the Senegalese National Gendarmerie and National Police to strengthen the migration prevention efforts of their security forces.
“Their work is key to protecting vulnerable migrants, preventing the loss of human lives, and firmly combating human trafficking networks,” the minister declared during the ceremony, held at the National Navy Arsenal in Dakar.
“Irregular immigration is a highly complex and constantly evolving national, regional, and global challenge,” continued Grande-Marlaska, who thanked his counterpart for Senegal’s “daily efforts” to combat irregular immigration, “a shared challenge that demands shared responsibility and effective cooperation between our countries.”
Tuesday’s meeting was the second between the two ministers, who met on November 4 in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) on the sidelines of the sixth Ministerial Meeting of the International Security Alliance.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, joint surveillance by Spanish and Senegalese security forces has led to more than 5,100 interceptions of individuals and 126 vessels in 2025, and the number of irregular arrivals to Spain from Senegalese shores has decreased by 91 percent, from 9,000 in 2024 to fewer than 850 this year. During the same period, the number of Senegalese arriving irregularly in Spain has fallen by approximately 60 percent.
“These figures are a result of the effective cooperation our countries are developing,” the minister stated. “The two offshore vessels we are delivering today to the Senegalese National Gendarmerie and National Police will contribute to improving operational capabilities for border control and combating crime, including human trafficking,” he added.
Currently, Spain maintains a contingent of forty National Police and Civil Guard officers in Senegal, working alongside the Senegalese Gendarmerie and National Police on land, sea, and river patrols. In addition to this deployment, there are three vessels (two offshore and one medium-sea), a helicopter, and 13 all-terrain vehicles, and, on a regular basis, a surveillance aircraft and an ocean-going vessel. Spain also collaborates within the framework of European projects such as the Joint Operational Partnership (JOP) and the Network of Joint Operational Partnerships (NETCOP II).
