The dynamics of interdiction and state capacity open pdf 1 mb illegal drug trafficking through west africa has grown dramatically in the last decade, capturing the attention of u. All of these initiatives have had very limited success. The impact of organised crime on governance in west africa. West africas drugs trafficking and usage problems in focus. West africas drugs trafficking and usage problems in. A programming guide april 20 this report was made possible by the support of the american people through the u. The use of south african drug mules in crossborder smuggling by anjelee van heerden submitted in accordance with the requirements for the masters degree in the subject of criminology at the university of south africa supervisor.
The west african drug trade in context of the regions. Drug trafficking is an ever mounting international security problem. This cooperation between ecowas and unodc has come when the development, peace and stability of west africa is being threatened by transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, the laundering of criminal assets and terrorism financing, weakness in the criminal justice system, as well as hivaids and drug abuse. Understanding the nature and threats of drug trafficking. Drug trafficking in the region severely impedes economic development and undermines already weak states. Prevention treatment of drug dependency in west africa. The report was written by a team consisting of mark shaw, tuesday reitano and marcena hunter. A case study of vietnam article pdf available december 2015 with 784 reads how we measure reads. Not just in transit west africa commission on drugs.
Jul 05, 2017 in 2016, the west african regional group ecowas, launch an initiative to address the trade and use of drugs through the criminal justice system and medical treatment. West africa has become a global hub for illegal drugs transiting from both latin america and asia to end users in north america, europe, the middle east, and asia. Individual commanders of the movement for oneness and jihad mujao in west africa, which broke away from alqaida in the islamic maghreb, seem at present to be directly involved in drug trafficking. Between 2005 and 2008, at least 46 tons of cocaine were seized in west africa alone. It concludes with recommendations on how the region can respond humanely, effectively and preemptively to these problems. This expansion of the european market is not possible without safe bases of operation on the african. Unodc response to illicit drug trafficking, country programmes in west africa. West africa is hub for international drug trafficking. The drug is usually concealed in concealment areas built especially for that. The challenge of drug trafficking to democratic governance. Ten years later, in 2008, ecowas adopted the praia plan of action and the abuja declaration to address the security threats posed by drug trafficking in the subregion. A new a policing understanding the heroin trade in. Cocaine trafficking in the caribbean and west africa in the.
In 2016, the west african regional group ecowas, launch an initiative to address the trade and use of drugs through the criminal justice system and medical treatment. Amended by justice laws rationalisation act 18 of 1996. Introduction in less than one and a half decades west africa has become a major transit and repackaging hub for cocaine and heroin flowing from the latin american and asian producing areas to european markets. West africa is hub for international drug trafficking world.
It was prepared by management systems international and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of usaid or the u. Transnational drugs trafficking from west africa to southeast asia. Amended by prevention of organised crime act 121 of 1998 from 21 jan 1999. Mcguire abstract west africa is one of the most impoverished, underdeveloped, and instabilityprone regions in the world. The threat of drug trafficking in africa has drawn attention in recent congresses. Recommendation c98 on the establishment of a regional fund for financing of drug control activities in west africa.
A case study of ghana article in african affairs 104416. A new a policing understanding the heroin trade in eastern africa. The most striking feature of the 2000s is the level of trafficking in the countries of west africa, such as liberia, ivory coast, and sierra leone. Cocaine trafficking between latin america and west africa. Before 2005, seizures from all of africa rarely totaled more than one ton a year. Cocaine trafficking in the caribbean and west africa in. This background paper examines the impact of drug trafficking on national and regional security in west africa. The shortest distances between these countries and western african countries are around 10 degrees of latitude north and it is exactly where. By doing this, it aims to broaden the evidence base of the scale and nature of the phenomenon. Since the mid1990s, in central and west africa, trafficking in hard drugs has become a booming business, with increasingly serious side effects. This first subregion was along latitude 10 north be. The incident monitoring component of the enact project systematically records instances of transnational organised crime in africa. Amended by international cooperation in criminal matters act 75 of 1996.
One phenomenon that has had huge negative implications on the political, economic and social spheres of almost every country on the face of the earth is the production, trafficking, marketing and consumption of illicit drugs. Decisions of the authority on drug control include resolution ares. United nation estimates drug trafficking in west and. International and regional responses to dt in west africa. The west africa drug policy training toolkit is based on a global drug policy training toolkit1 that was. West africa the regions pivotal role in international drug trafficking 21 they become a transnational issue. Transnational organized crime in west africa united nations. Yet, drugtrade data is often unreliable, fragmented and inappropriately sourced. West african cocaine traffickers, especially those from. West and central africa united nations office on drugs. Understanding the nature and threats of drug trafficking to.
North between northern south america and the west african coast specifically. Only one fifth of drug flights to europe originate in west africa. Unodc response to illicit drug trafficking, regional and transregional initiatives in west africa. Unodc individual drug seizures database and data for africa more recently, in june 2007, the venezuelans authorities seized 2. Thefwadtwouldbestructuredasa spaceforsharingexperiences. Unowa and partners conducts efforts to raise awareness of the threat to peace and stability posed by drug trafficking and organized crime in west africa, including the terrorism threat especially in the sahel band. Drugs, the state and society in west africa west africa commission. Nov 15, 2012 the three major developments dealt with are. Ecowas, unodc sign letter of cooperation on the fight. The availability of aircraft, pilots and an expanse of airspace without radar coverage, aided and. Drug law enforcement agency, nigeria, yovin ivo drug control commission of tanzania, ricardo soberon. Obot, phd, mph 1 this paper is part of a series of background documents prepared for the commission on the impact of drug trafficking on governance, security and development in west africa wacd.
International and regional responses to drug trafficking in west africa a preliminary overview wacd background paper no. On june 23, 2009, the senate foreign relations committee held a hearing entitled confronting drug trafficking in west africa. The rapid growth of illicit trafficking fuelled a criminal black. Drug trafficking and the role of civil society in west africa. Security council was recently told by the unodc that west africa is seeing a large increase in arms and human trafficking as well as piracy. West africa needs to wake up to threat from drugs trade. The continuing scourge of drug trafficking in west africa and the increasingly sophisticated operations launched by drug cartels is an issue of great concerns. Drugtrafficking, especially of cocaine, has increased dramatically through west africa in recent years. According to the washington post, the transit route fulfills a cocaine market in europe that has grown four fold in the past few years and reaches an amount almost equal to ours in the united states. That same year, they set up a regional fund for financing drug control activities in west africa. The most alarming thing about this new trend is that in most of these african countries drugtrafficking happens with the consent of those in government. West africas international drug trade stephen ellis abstract since the publication in 2007 of a report on west africas role in the illegal cocaine trade from latin america to europe, considerable media attention has focused on guineabissau in particular as. The unodc theorizes that if trafficking between venezuela and west africa has indeed dropped, it is possible that smaller cocaine shipments from brazil now make up the majority of the illicit drug shipments arriving in west africa. By analysing drugrelated incidents reported in the media in three key east african nations over the past decade, this paper provides insights into drug trafficking in the region.
Drug trafficking, especially of cocaine, has increased dramatically through west africa in recent years. Most countries in west africa have struggled to adapt to the challenges drug. Unodc supports the ecowas commission in its capacity as a regional leader to help secure regional ownership and long term sustained reforms. West africa the regions pivotal role in international. Drug trafficking and the threat to nigerias national.
Boko haram is implicated in smuggling heroin and cocaine across west africa as well. Drugs and drug trafficking act south african government. The purpose of this paper is to assess the state of weapons, drug, human, and animal trafficking as a panatlantic security challenge. The drug industry is often defined by the extent of its international distribution networks and how these change over time. According to fedetov, some 30 tons of cocaine and almost 400 kg of heroin were trafficked through west africa in 2011, and methamphetamine laboratories had been discovered in the subregion skelton 20. Drug trafficking and threats to national and regional. Drug abuse in a waraffected area national institute on. The article probes how the african diaspora and international travel service these emerging drug networks in ghana, west africa, europe and the americas. West africa drugs trafficking increasingly sophisticated.
Pdf transnational drugs trafficking from west africa to. In particular, the growing convergence of trafficking, organized crime, and terrorism will be analyzed to determine the degree. West africa, despite international efforts to combat global drug trafficking, is a hot spot for smuggling cocaine and other narcotics into europe from latin america. According to law enforcement agencies, cocaine is mostly shipped to western africa on fishing boats and freighters. Jun 26, 2014 west africa needs to wake up to threat from drugs trade. Comprehensive assessment of organised crime in west and. Yet, drug trade data is often unreliable, fragmented and inappropriately sourced. The type of illegal substances has expanded from cocaine and heroin to amphetaminetype stimulants. World drug report traces trafficking across africa. As the unodc points out, drug trafficking organizations based in south america are still responsible for transporting the majority of cocaine shipments that reach europe. Latam drug traffickers losing ground in west africa. Drug transit through africa follows different routes depending on the drug trafficked, but.
Cocaine trafficking in western africa, october 2007 8. The first sections provide an overview of the main security threats that drug trafficking is perceived to pose to states and the subregion, including the links between drug trafficking and terrorism. Drug trafficking as a security threat in west africa 1 preface the crisis of drug trafficking in west africa is gaining attention, in the media and among governments. West africas international drug trade stephen ellis abstract since the publication in 2007 of a report on west africas role in the illegal cocaine trade from latin america to europe, considerable media attention has focused on guineabissau in particular as a country infiltrated by drug interests. The drug is usually concealed in concealment areas built especially for. Caribbean, the level of trafficking through west africa has increased to a quarter of europe. The study and final publication comprehensive assessment of drug trafficking and organised crime in west and central africa was commissioned by the african union. Research in three languages was provided by laura adal, andreia teixeira, and judith ulirsch. West africa, like any other region in the world, has had to swallow its fair share of modernday political, economic and social dilemmas. Prevention and treatment of drug dependence in west africa wacd background paper no. West africa has become a hub for drug trafficking and usage, as cartels exploit weak security systems, and collaborate with locals to use the region as transit route for exporting illicit drugs to europe and north america. The regions populations have become heavy users of these drugs as a consequence.
Separated by the atlantic ocean, it would appear that west africa and latin america would make for an unlikely nexus in the cocaine trade. Drug dependence in west africa wacd background paper no. The economic community of west african states ecowas for its part acknowl edged that, drug trafficking is an enemy of. Jul 30, 2014 drug trafficking in the region severely impedes economic development and undermines already weak states. Prevention treatment of drug dependency in west africa 20. According to reuters, cocaine moves through west africa while heroin transits through the eastern part of the continent. Other key partners are the national authorities in charge of the thematic areas covered by unodcs mandate. Drug trafficking continues to be a substantial and growing part of transnational organised criminal activity in west africa corruption and money laundering are. Unodc uses its comparative advantage to ensure a cross. The link between narcotics traffickers in latin america and their allies in west africa has opened another front in the war on drugs and has unfortunately led to west africa becoming home to what has been described as the worlds first narco state namely, guineabissau. How drug trafficking undermines west africa open society.
Yet, as cocaine consumption in the united states has remained relatively constant, demand for the drug in europe has started to grow considerably. It reflects drug policing rather than actual trafficking trends as it is based on selfreported seizures. In a comprehensive multistakeholder approach to support the implementation of the ecowas regional action plan, unodc, unowa, the department of political affairs dpa, dpko and interpol have agreed to work together to address the growing problem of drug trafficking, organized crime and drug abuse in west. Drug trafficking and threats to national and regional security in west africa 1. Alarm bells are ringing about the volume of cocaine transiting the region roughly 50 tons a year, and its impact on the security of fragile states. Many of the nationstates in the region are empirically weak.
Cocaine trafficking in western africa, october 2007 8 how does cocaine arrive in western africa and how is it trafficked to europe. It suggests that the concept of an ideological diaspora could shed light on a shared global popular culture, which constitutes a counter culture and rationalizes criminal activities. Beyond the notion that west africa is a transit zone the production and processing of illicit drug has been identified in some west african countries. Feb 18, 2014 18 the regional action plan to fight drug trafficking, organized crime and drug abuse in west africa consists of five thematic areas.
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