The two-day conference which began on Monday brings together stakeholders and experts to consider the trends in criminality and the impact of policy responses. The conference is co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) and INTERPOL.
The two-day conference reflects on the work by the ENACT project, by the European Union, which has been working to enhance Africa’s capacity to counter and respond to organised crime through analysis, engagement, technical assistance, training and convening of key counterparts. Throughout the programme, these activities supported policy makers, law enforcement and civil society practitioners to develop informed interventions that tackle the threat of organised crime on the continent. However, transnational organised crime remains a serious and complex threat to governance, security and development in Africa. Executive Director of Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Dr Mark Shaw is part of the conference and share some of the achievement of the project.
“What ENACT has shown is that, firstly, there’s an enormous diversity of illicit markets and criminal operations across the African continent. There’s a strong linkage to violence and instability. And indeed, the terminology that we were using seemed inadequate to the task when we began. And that mafia-like structures are deeply embedded in states across the continent. And I, as a South African, would never have anticipated what is ongoing now in South Africa, which is a series of commissions and engagements precisely on the connection between organised crime and politics. And while it’s traumatic to watch, it’s also a sign of a democracy coming to terms with the degree of illicit penetration into its institutions and into its democratic processes,” he said.
Former Chair of the International Council of Transparency International, John Githongo’s topic was on the evolving role of state-embedded actors driving organised crime in Africa. He lauded the ENACT project saying it has the most accessible, quality research on organized crime in Africa. Githongo reflects on the evolving role of embedded, state-embedded actors driving organized crime in Africa.
“What’s unique about this report is that yet once again, the the state embedded act has continued to be central to organized crime in Africa. And this is despite the fact that over the last 40 to 50 years, we’ve seen a gradual improvement of all circumstances, economic and political as well. This generation of Africans are the wealthiest over the last 80 years, the healthiest over the last 100 and the most educated. And yet, we continue to have these challenges that have been described so well in these reports. The challenge, though, is that even as things are today, criminality that is fed by generalized covenants failures produces a situation that the report disassembles extremely well. where the distinction between political leadership in some of our countries and criminals too easily becomes hazy. But at the very least, those in power behave in ways that we commonly associate with gangsters and their associates,” he said.
Head of Interpol Regional Bureau Nairobi and Chief Executive Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO), Africa Apollo highlighted that organized crime in Eastern Africa is diverse and multifaceted, ranging from yeast to commodity trafficking including drugs, firearms, fraud and fauna, mineral resources, and even humans, including financial and cybercrimes. Therefore, it was not surprising for ENACT Organised Crime Index to rank the region as number one in terms of criminality. He called for more investment in efforts to address instability and criminality in the region.
“Partnership for us is not a choice. It is a crucial part of our strategy to address the complex dynamics in this region. And the ENACT project, for the past more than eight years, we have witnessed an intensification not only in the organization of joint events, but also in the generation and dissemination of knowledge and skills. The work of ENACT has improved policing in our region and strengthened the capabilities of YEPCO member countries to address, Reporting in progress, and terrorism. I would echo what the previous speaker talked about. women are action, strengthening of capacities, not leaving behind our female officers. Through its evidence-based research and human trafficking and smuggling, its exploitation of natural resources, including our lakes, forests, and mineral resources, cattle rustling, drugs, vehicle theft, and it is traded in Sanderwood, and many other groundbreaking studies,” Apollo said.
–ChannelAfrica–
