Senegal and Spain are poised to deepen their cooperation in international air search and rescue (SAR) operations through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Dakar Coordination and Rescue Center (CCS) and ARCC Canarias, Spain’s rescue coordination center based in the Canary Islands. The agreement, expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, follows the successful conclusion of the 2025 Search and Rescue Exercise hosted by the Spanish Air Force on Gran Canaria from June 17 to 20. The event served as both a live training and planning platform, bringing together aviation safety and rescue experts from both countries.
Representing Senegal were Lt. Colonel Mansour Kane, head of Dakar CCS; Chief Warrant Officer Lamine Bop; and Abibou Mbaye, a senior official from Senegal’s National Agency for Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM). The delegation participated in field simulations, strategic coordination sessions, and reviewed past SAR missions to enhance readiness and response strategies. The upcoming MoU is expected to formalize procedures for Joint training missions, Rapid information sharing during emergencies, Standardized communication protocols, and Cross-border SAR coordination in the West African and Atlantic air corridors.
Dakar CCS, which operates under the Senegalese Air Force and is overseen by ANACIM, plays a critical role in coordinating aerial rescue across a vast region that includes parts of the Atlantic Ocean. The center has steadily increased its international collaboration to match global standards in emergency response. Officials from both countries hailed the planned agreement as a key step toward enhancing safety in increasingly busy airspaces and improving preparedness for aviation incidents, natural disasters, and maritime emergencies.
This initiative reflects the broader trend of growing security and defense ties between Senegal and Spain, particularly in the areas of aeronautical safety, maritime patrol, and counter-smuggling operations.
