Senegal was actively involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and was among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022.
Senegal participated in the Vienna Conference on the Protection of Civilians in Urban Warfare in October 2019,1 as well as in the first two rounds of consultations for a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in 2019 and 2020.2
During the 2019 consultations, Senegal said that the Declaration should commit states to avoid using explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas. It also said the Declaration should encourage cooperation among states and/or with civil society to build a community of practice, which includes a better dialogue with UN agencies and international and national humanitarian organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to better understand protection needs.3 Senegal also joined other states in calling investigations into the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in violation of international humanitarian law, and, where appropriate, for the prosecution of perpetrators. It also called for the consideration of non-state actors in the Declaration.4
In its written submission, Senegal suggested that the Declaration could: stress the imperative to prevent non-state armed groups, including terrorists and criminals, from acquiring and using explosive weapons with wide effects; include concrete commitments to reinforce accountability and the fight against impunity; commit states to avoiding the use of high impact explosive weapons in populated areas; promote bilateral and regional cooperation through the sharing of experiences, good practices and expertise on reducing the harm caused to civilians by explosive weapons; encourage states to engage constructively in international initiatives that can effectively contribute to greater protection of civilians in armed conflict; strengthen cooperation and partnership with international organisations and civil society organisations, and build on their expertise and support.5
Statements and positions
Senegal has also aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. In 2017, Senegal endorsed the communiqué arising from the Maputo Regional Meeting on Protecting Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas6. The Maputo Communiqué discussed the harms of explosive weapons in populated areas, the role of African states in working against it, and the need to create a Political Declaration on the matter. The 19 African states present agreed to work independently and cooperatively to, inter alia: avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas; encourage collection of data and information; fully support the process towards adoption of an international Political Declaration; promote bilateral and regional cooperation through sharing experiences, good practices and expertise on reducing the harm caused by explosive weapons to civilians; constructively engage in discussions and initiatives at international level that could effectively provide greater protection to civilians in armed conflicts; foster deeper and further engagement from African States; and strengthen cooperation and partnerships with international organizations and civil society organisations to draw upon their relevant expertise and support.
As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Senegal aligned with World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to “Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity” in May 2016, including the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.”7