DBDC INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE PUBLICATIONS & EVENTS UK LTD

Senegal has officially inaugurated its first military vehicle assembly plant. The ceremony took place on Tuesday, 16 December, at the Diamniadio Industrial Platform and was presided over by President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, in the presence of Air Force General (2S) Birame Diop, Minister of the Armed Forces, Dr. Serigne Gueye Diop, Minister of Industry and Commerce, along with several civil and military authorities.

Located in the Diamniadio industrial zone, the new facility is dedicated to the assembly of tactical Kia KM 450 vehicles. The plant is operated by ISEVEM – the Senegalese Military Vehicles Industry – and results from a partnership agreement signed on 7 November 2024 between the Government of Senegal and the company.

Speaking at the inauguration, the President described the plant as the first concrete step in the country’s national defence industrial ambitions. “By inaugurating this factory, we are sending a clear message: Senegal is firmly committing itself to technological and industrial sovereignty in the field of defence,” he stated.

The facility marks what authorities describe as the initial milestone in building a national defence economy. According to the Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Diamniadio plant is not merely an assembly site but the foundation of a broader industrial strategy.

Before concluding his address, President Faye instructed the Minister of the Armed Forces, in coordination with the ministers responsible for innovation, research, and industry, to design and lead a special programme dedicated to the development and construction of military drones.