The official Spanish liaison team in Senegal supports the work of the volunteer doctors of the NGO ‘Visió Sense Fronteres’

• As part of defence diplomacy, Spanish military personnel are participating in the 5th Campaign for the Detection of Visual Abnormalities and Cataract Surgery

The Official Liaison Team of Cooperative Security Activities in Senegal has supported the volunteer health professionals of the Valencian NGO ‘Visió Sense Fronteres’, in its 5th Campaign for the Detection of Visual Abnormalities and Cataract Surgery, which is being carried out in the most deprived areas of the country.

The Spanish military personnel accompanied the volunteers in order to take an interest in the development of health care and to provide support and visibility to the initiative, which is achieving greater success in terms of patient care year after year. The community is very grateful to this group of Spanish volunteers who have given their all for another year at Sam Sam III,' said Major Daniel Muñoz Marrón.

The NGO ‘Visió Sense Fronteres’ regularly organizes this campaign at the health centre in the Sam Sam III district of Dakar. In December 2024, the Valencian NGO donated more than 600 reused prescription glasses, following an ophthalmological diagnosis by the volunteer professionals, who also diagnosed more than 270 cataracts suitable for surgery. Subsequently, the NGO's medical team set up a room for use as an operating theatre in the Sicap Mbao health centre, a neighbourhood adjacent to Sam Sam III, to perform nearly 300 cataract surgeries.

'This team of ophthalmologists is extraordinary, they have performed almost 300 cataract surgeries in just five days,' said Captain Muñoz. 'They have a great deal of merit. They offer their knowledge, their holidays and their good work to give a little hope to those who need it most. It is an honour to work with them in our Cooperation and Security Mission.'

In this context of cooperation, the Official Liaison Team of Cooperation Security Activities (ASC, for its Spanish acronym) Senegal travelled to the clinics to support the transfer of the volunteer health professionals of ‘Visió Sense Fronteres’, as well as to familiarise themselves with the different sites and the medical care provided there every year by this NGO.

ASC Senegal

In June 2014, the Spanish and Senegalese defence ministers met in Dakar. At this meeting, the African country's authorities explained that Senegal is an “island” of security surrounded by instability and that, in order to strengthen this security, it is necessary to increase or create military capabilities within the Senegalese Armed Forces. To this end, the Spanish Army and Navy are seeking to increase the general capabilities required by the Republic of Senegal through military assistance in the form of advice and training for the Senegalese Armed Forces.

Currently, Spain continues to carry out military activities in Senegal: a key country for the stability of West Africa, with which there are close ties of cooperation and mutual assistance. Specifically, Spanish military personnel are carrying out combat training and anti-terrorism preparation, as well as training in various missions such as search and rescue and infrastructure reconstruction.