Kaolack, Oct 2 (APS) – The governor of Kaolack, Mohamadou Moctar Watt, officially launched on Wednesday the “Territorial Communities, Defense, Security and Peace” (PCTDSP) program in the central zone (Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack and Kaffrine) , noted the APS.
This program was launched in July 2021 thanks to a “fruitful partnership” between the Center for Advanced Defense and Security Studies (CHEDS) in Dakar, and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (FKA), explained its director, Brigadier General Jean Diémé, during a seminar in the presence of territorial elected officials and other elements of the defense and security forces of the said regions.
According to the director of CHEDS, this program aims to strengthen the capacities of Senegalese local authorities in terms of security for the construction and maintenance of a secure environment conducive to social cohesion and development.
This program covers the west, north, south, east and center zones to have a complete coverage of the national territory, said Brigadier General Jean Diémé. “We live on a daily basis in a security context marked by the prevalence of new threats and the entanglement of these threats,” he observed.
”This situation inevitably leads us to a redefinition of security with the necessary consideration of new actors, notably young people, women, decentralized and decentralized administrative authorities,” he added.
“Moreover, this approach is part of the dynamic propelled by Act III of decentralization to make our communities viable, competitive territories that promote sustainable development,” said General Diémé, who noted that in the central zone, the security challenges are “numerous and multifaceted”.
In addition to the recurring tensions linked to the management of the border between Senegal and the Gambia, there are conflicts between farmers and herders, due to the absence, poor demarcation or ignorance by pastoralists of the passage corridors, he pointed out. The area also faces burglaries of homes and harvest storage stores, recurring attacks on multi-services, stations and public services, according to him.
”In these conditions, it seemed important to us to invite the major players, which are local authorities, defense and security forces and members of civil society organizations, to build new synergies, particularly in matters of prevention,” insisted General Diémé.
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