UEMOA: The High-Level Committee on Peace and Security is meeting in Dakar

In Dakar, the 7th meeting of the High-Level Committee on Peace and Security of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) was held this Friday, July 10th. The President of the Union Commission noted that for several years, our community has been facing serious and multifaceted threats.

“Terrorism, organized crime, illicit trafficking, cross-border insecurity, community tensions and so on, continue to weaken our states and test our citizens. This is the harsh daily reality with threats that do not stop at borders,” said Abdoulaye Diop.

Thus, since the 6th meeting of the High-Level Committee, held in Dakar on November 24, 2023, the WAEMU Commission has continued to implement the activities of the Peace and Security Program. This is in accordance with the directives of the highest authorities of the Union, he said. Several "promising initiatives and structuring projects have been launched," Mr. Diop indicated.

These include: the project to computerize and interconnect border police stations, the project to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and improvised explosive devices in border areas, and the project to build the resilience of populations in terms of peace, security, and development in the border areas of the WAEMU. In addition, there is a White Paper on the WAEMU Peace and Security Initiative.

“All these initiatives are aligned with the UEMOA Vision 2040 and the UEMOA Commission’s Impact 2030 Strategic Plan. We hope they will bring a special dimension to the consideration of the development aspect in the peace and security actions of the UEMOA Commission,” said the President of the UEMOA Commission.

President of the meeting, Cheikh Niang, the Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, stressed that the UEMOA peace and security project constitutes "an essential framework for reflection, consultation and action, serving the protection of populations, the strengthening of solidarity between member states and the consolidation of regional stability".

Thus, the 7th meeting comes at a time, he said, when member states are called upon to demonstrate foresight, consistency, and courage in conducting their security policies. "The threats we face are multiple, evolving, and interconnected. They demand, more than ever, a coordinated, concerted response based on mutual trust," the minister stated.

During their work, they will review the progress made in implementing the actions taken during the previous session. The various participants will also assess developments in the security situation, with a view to identifying actions to consolidate peace and stability within our community.