In the period 19952006, reported seizures of heroin, cannabis and cocaine in the region covered by unodc eastern africaare comparatively few and do not reflect the extent of trafficking, availability and growing abuse in the region. Drug trafficking and its impact on west africa by dr. Pdf the modern trend of human trafficking in africa and. West african cocaine traffickers, especially those from southeast. Cocaine is a natural product extracted from the leaves of erythroxylum coca lamarck and erythroxylum novogranatense coca leaves. Pdf transnational drugs trafficking from west africa to.
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. The incident monitoring component of the enact project systematically records instances of transnational organised crime in africa. Drug trafficking is an ever mounting international security problem. The report was written by a team consisting of mark shaw, tuesday reitano and marcena hunter. Differences in legal systems, institutions and languages as well as serious resource constraints hinder. Narcotics trafficking in west af rica 3 introduction since 2004 there has been an unprecedented surge in the amount of cocaine being trafficked through the west african region. Since the 2000s, drug trafficking has played a role in the development of unprecedented forms and levels of violence. These tropical shrubs are cultivated widely in the andeanamazonian region, and are the only known natural source of cocaine, which is produced almost exclusively in bolivia, colombia and peru. It examines the earlier trafficking of cannabis along the coast of west africa in the colonial period, and the later transnational networks that have emerged to promote international drug trafficking cocaine and heroin.
Jun 23, 2017 the report, issued by the united nations office on drugs and crime unodc, shows ghana and nigeria among the most frequently mentioned countries of origin in africa for cocaine trafficking when identified after a seizure of a drug shipment took place. United nations office on drugs and crime unodc to create joint task forces and training programs to bolster national plans. Besides a spike in drugrelated crime, narcotics trafficking is also fraying west africas traditional social fabric and creating a public health crisis, with hundreds of thousands of new drug. Unodc response to illicit drug trafficking, regional and transregional initiatives in west africa. Guineabissau appears to be the epicentre of this phenomenon. Drug trafficking united nations office on drugs and crime. 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. Yet, scholarly work on the nature, characteristics and strength of these groups and how their activities threaten states remains sparse. Understanding the nature and threats of drug trafficking to. Middle east, asia and ushered in a new era for west africas criminal economy.
Mcguire abstract west africa is one of the most impoverished, underdeveloped, and instabilityprone regions in the world. Bolivia is a source of cocaine that fuels south americas transatlantic cocaine trade to west africa and europe. West africa the regions pivotal role in international drug trafficking 21 they become a transnational issue. Cocaine trafficking in west af rica 3 executive summary a declining us cocaine market and a rising european one appear to have prompted south american cocaine traffickers to make use of lowgovernance areas in west africa as transit zones. This resulted in the expansion of two distinct trade routes, both of which went through west africa. This article interrogates the emergence of drug trafficking in contemporary ghana and west africa within the context of a global political economy, situated within a deeper historical perspective. World drug report traces trafficking across africa. Al qaeda in the islamic maghreb and its breakaway, the movement for oneness and jihad in west africa, are involved in cannabis and cocaine trafficking in the sahel.
While a costly insecurity incubator in itself, drug trafficking and consumption have a symbiotic. These three maps show how drugs move around the world. West africa is hub for international drug trafficking world. Request pdf diaspora and drug trafficking in west africa. Such activities included the establishment of the west african network of civil society on substance abuse, to better coordinate drug prevention and treatment efforts, the carrying out of school surveys. Narcotics trafficking through west african waters stable. Jun 26, 2014 west africa needs to wake up to threat from drugs trade.
Again, while we recognize that drug trafficking through west africa might. Mexico the government of mexico is waging an historic campaign. Review of research and data on human trafficking in subsaharan africa in data and research on human trafficking. In remarks presented at the october 14 conference on drug trafficking in west africa, in arlington, virginia, vanda felbabbrown addresses the nature of drug trade in west africa. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through the use of drug prohibition laws.
Unodc promotes regional cooperation in human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases vienna, austria 21 december 2017 in west africa, as in many other regions, successful prosecution of human trafficking and migrant smuggling cases can be difficult and complicated. Interdiction efforts adapt as drug trafficking in africa modernizes. West africa needs to wake up to threat from drugs trade. The report, issued by the united nations office on drugs and crime unodc, shows ghana and nigeria among the most frequently mentioned countries of origin in africa for cocaine trafficking when identified after a seizure of a drug shipment took place. Drug law enforcement agency, nigeria, yovin ivo drug control commission of tanzania, ricardo soberon.
State officials and their involvement in drug trafficking in west africa. Unodc is registering new alarming trends on drug trafficking in west and central africa with disruptive and. The countries in west africa have an illicit drug trafficking problem. Presentation to conference on drug trafficking in west africa. Unodc uses its comparative advantage to ensure a cross. By doing this, it aims to broaden the evidence base of the scale and nature of the phenomenon. Feb 18, 2014 while the above revelations question the nature, effectiveness and resilience of the existing legal and institutional framework for responding to drug trafficking in west africa, the emerging drug consumption levels in the subregion suggests the potential impact of drugs on human security in west africa wabala 20. Abdullahi shehu director general the intergovernmental action group against money laundering in west africa giaba paper presented at the meeting of the joint committee on political affairs, peace and. Cocaine trafficking in west africa the threat to stability.
Model drug law for west africa a tool for policymakers v foreword because of our deep concern about the growing threats drug trafficking, production and consumption pose to public health, governance, and stability in west africa, in 20 we convened a diverse group of west africans from the worlds of politics, civil society, health, security and. That same year, they set up a regional fund for financing drug control activities in west africa. The nigerian case osita agbu introduction \for those of you who think it cannot happen to you, i. The current transcontinental drug trade in hard drugs in west africa is rising at such a high rate and has captured the attention of the world because of the magnanimity of the negative political consequences in the region. Over the past few years, west africa has become an increasingly important venue for international drug trafficking and organized crime. Trafficking and fragility in west africa world bank. 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. Northern mali is not a drug producing area, nor even the only transit zone in west africa. Cocaine trafficking in western africa, october 2007 6 three reasons explain the importance of western africa as a transit point for cocaine trafficking to europe. The report builds on crisis groups work on drug trafficking and violence in northern mali, which highlights the risks and costs of failing to manage illicit trade.
Interests though the majority of the drugs transiting west africa do not come to the united states, the proceeds flow to the same south american drug trafficking organizations that traffic drugs to the united states. For south american cocaine traffickers, it stands midway between the andean producing countries and the european consumer market. International and regional responses to dt in west africa. Many of the nationstates in the region are empirically weak.
West and central africa united nations office on drugs. While there are definitions for specific forms of trafficking such as human trafficking, there is no widely accepted. Cocaine trafficking to europe is conducted by organised crime groups that are characterised by diversity and adaptability. Comprehensive assessment of organised crime in west and. The consequences of drug trafficking in the country are unparalleled in the region, however. The west african drug trade in context of the regions illicit. Usmexican border in addition to drug trafficking, transnational organized criminals are involved in human, money, and weapon smuggling. Drugs, the state and society in west africa west africa commission. The challenge of drug trafficking to democratic governance. The report also notes indications of increased trafficking in south and south east asia and west and east africa and the balkan route through iran and turkey to europe, the northern route. The modern trend of human trafficking in africa and the role of the african union working paper pdf available december 2017 with 5,930 reads how we measure reads. Responses congressional research service summary the global illegal drug trade represents a multidimensional challenge that has implications for u.
One route exported domestically produced cannabis from west africa to south africa, europe, and asia. The rising drug trafficking threat a rise in illicit drug trafficking in africa in recent years has drawn the attention of u. First session of the african union west african drugs. Towards an international strategy to deal with drug trafficking. Managing trafficking in northern niger crisis group. Routes through west africa originating in south america are clearly marked. In fact, the 2017 world drug report estimates that twothirds of all cocaine smuggled between south america and europe traverses the west african region.
Drug transit through africa follows different routes depending on the drug. Nov 07, 2017 terrorist organizations on the continent have taken advantage of the revenue opportunities created by controlling these trade routes for drugs. Policy congressional research service 1 introduction. Transnational organized crime in west africa united nations. Thefwadtwouldbestructuredasa spaceforsharingexperiences. 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. All of these initiatives have had very limited success. It proposed to map each local stakeholder position and influence visa. Identifying the development challenge of drug trafficking in africa 8. Drugs and crime unodc estimates that west african criminal networks could have earned. Not just in transit drugs, the state and society in west africa 7 foreword in this report, the west africa commission on drugs describes the challenges that our region must confront political, social and economic and the policies it must adopt to prevent drug trafficking, production and consumption from. A programming guide contracted under gs23f8012h, task order no. International and regional responses to drug trafficking in west africa a preliminary overview wacd background paper no. 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.
These groups are innovative and skilled in switching and modifying both trafficking routes and modi operandi to circumvent law enforcement activities. Besides a spike in drug related crime, narcotics trafficking is also fraying west africa s traditional social fabric and creating a public health crisis, with hundreds of thousands of new drug. Drug trafficking, violence and politics in northern mali. Pdf confronting drug trafficking in west africa mike. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the drug trade in west africa rapidly expanded as the us and eus demand for cocaine, cannabis, and other drugs increased dramatically. Alarm bells are ringing about the volume of cocaine transiting the region roughly 50. The drug industry is often defined by the extent of its international distribution networks and how these change over time. Among other measures the ivorian government should 4 ending child trafficking in west africa lessons from the ivorian cocoa sector 1 gtz, 2005. Report of the international narcotics control board for 2018. West africa the regions pivotal role in international. First, there have been increased law enforcement successes in the caribbean and in europe which may have played a part in the development of alternative routes for traffickers.
Drug trafficking and the role of civil society in west africa. Trafficking in human beings, especially women and children, in africa iii unicef innocenti research centre the unicef innocenti research centre in florence, italy, was established in 1988 to strengthen the research capability of the united nations childrens fund unicef and to support its advocacy for children worldwide. West africa in particular appears to have become an established source of. Since the mid2000s, west africa has emerged as an important transit point for the trafficking of cocaine from south america to europe. West africa is hub for international drug trafficking. Introducing primary surveillance radar psr to the region will illuminate noncooperative movement and add another tool to counter illicit drug trade through west africa. Crime and governance in west africa west africa offers many advantages for organized criminals. Trafficking and its impact on west africa world bank documents.
All seizures took place in international waters close to the western african coasts, as shown on the map on the next page. Several west african states are threatened by increasingly powerful transnational organised criminal networks. Drug trafficking is a major transnational threat in africa that. The west african drug trade in the context of the regions. Interdiction efforts adapt as drug trafficking in africa.
The growing drug trade in africa also poses other threats to u. The west african drug trade in context of the regions. 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. This illicit activity reinforces and bolsters their financial strength. The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs that are subject to drug prohibition laws. A case study of ghana this article interrogates the emergence of drug trafficking in contemporary. Drug trafficking and the threat to nigerias national. Drug trafficking, west african drug syndicate networks wadsns, vietnam. The west african drug trade in context of the regions illicit economies and poor governance presentation to conference on drug trafficking in west africa.
Jul 30, 2014 drug trafficking in the region severely impedes economic development and undermines already weak states. The affect of drug trafficking in west africa on the national security interests of the united states of america, by william r. How drug trafficking undermines west africa open society. Drug trafficking patterns to and from eastern africa. Transnational drugs trafficking from west africa to southeast asia.
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