Transnational crime converging across Africa – INTERPOL

2018-12-14

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – An INTERPOL report has found crimes are increasingly converging across Africa, underlining how transnational threats cannot be treated in isolation.

Published under the framework of the ENACT project, which aims to enhance Africa’s response to transnational organised crime, the report consists of a continental and five regional overviews which highlight the relationships between different types of organised crime across Africa’s regions.

Its findings suggest crime syndicates remain highly connected across borders on the continent and are active in a number of illicit markets.

The report’s publication comes in parallel to a meeting between INTERPOL Chief Jürgen Stock and Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, to discuss enhanced cooperation between the two bodies.

Key issues discussed were law enforcement cooperation in 194 member countries in fighting transnational crime and particularly intra-regional flows of terrorists from Boko Haram in West Africa, or Al-Shabaab in East Africa, Al Qaeda and ISIS affiliates in the Maghreb.

‘No community, region or country is untouched by the effects of transnational organised crime and terrorism. Their impact is global and their convergence represents an evolving threat which extends beyond Africa,’ said INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock.

With a cooperation agreement with Afripol recently approved at INTERPOL’s General Assembly, the INTERPOL Chief added: ‘Regional and international police cooperation are vital components in the global security architecture of the future. INTERPOL looks to constantly evolve its capabilities, strategies and partnerships in line with regional priorities and the evolving needs of member countries.’

Key findings of the reports:

The ENACT project is funded by the European Union and implemented by INTERPOL and the Institute for Security Studies, in partnership with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

INTERPOL participates in Project ENACT to assist police in Africa to adopt proactive strategies to combat organised crime threats, facilitate information exchange and enhance their investigative skills.

The ENACT project is the first of its kind to cover the entire African continent to analyse the scale of transnational organised crime and its impact on security, governance and development. The analysis serves to inform decision-makers and strengthen law enforcement cooperation at regional and continental levels.

INTERPOL opened its Special Representative Office to the African Union in January 2016 to build on the strength of its four Regional Bureaus – Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and Zimbabwe – and National Central Bureaus across Africa.

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Download the INTERPOL reports here:

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ENACT is funded by the European Union
ENACT is implemented by the Institute for Security Studies in partnership with
INTERPOL and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.
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