UN to Combat Drug Trafficking in West Africa
More Cocaine Smuggled From Americas to Europe via Fragile States
May 31, 2009
Drug traffickers in West Africa take advantage of porous borders and weak state and security institutions, thus operating largely with impunity. The exploding drug trade is breeding widespread corruption and threatening security in the sub-region.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) first sounded the alarm in 2004. In an October 2008 report entitled:Drug Trafficking as a security threat in West Africa, the Vienna based UNODC head office revealed that cocaine seizures had doubled every year for the previous three years. At an African Union summit in February 2009, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed for action to "roll back this dangerous phenomenon."
In October 2008, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held a ministerial conference in Cape Verde, which resulted in a political declaration and regional action plan to combat drug trafficking and organized crime in West Africa.
African Regional Action Plan to Address Drug Trafficking
Through a joint initiative, launched on 21 April 2009 in Vienna in parallel to the 18th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the UNODC, the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), the Department of Political Affairs(DPA), the Department of Peacekeeping Operations(DPKO) and the International Criminal Police Organization(INTERPOL) will support implementation of the ECOWAS regional action plan to address drug trafficking, organized crime and drug abuse in West Africa (2008-2011).
The initiative will build national and regional capacities in the areas of law enforcement, forensics, intelligence, border management and money laundering, as well as strengthen criminal justice systems. A key element will be the establishment of specialized transnational crime units, initially in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Organized Crime as Much a Threat as Warring Factions
Presenting the joint initiative, UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said organized crime posed "as much of a threat as warring factions. It has an impact on practically every United Nations peacekeeping or peace-building operation. Therefore, we urgently need more effective tools and operations to tackle this threat.
Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa, said that the sub-region's daunting challenges "are not a fatality. With strong political will, adequate resources and robust partnership between the sub-region and the international community, these challenges can be overcome."
Fragile States are Particularly Affected – Task for UN Peace-building
The impact on the ground of the transnational crime units could be felt quickly. Special attention should be given to fragile countries "where the United Nations is expected to play an increasingly important role in accompanying those countries towards the rule of law.
Andrew Hughes, UN Police Adviser, stressed the need for institutional integrity. Harper Boucher of INTERPOL highlights another aspect, namely the need for maritime safety and better communications on air, sea and land movements. INTERPOL's pioneering I-24/7 system could allow law enforcement agencies to share intelligence and request assistance with transnational investigations 24 hours a day.
