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UNODC and Prosecutors Cooperating to Counter Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism in the Horn of Africa

Nairobi (Kenya), 13 April 2022 – UNODC recently delivered a regional training workshop for 20 prosecutors on Effective Prosecution of Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism Offences with a Human Rights-based approach, including using Digital Evidence.

Transnational organized crime (TOC) and terrorism continue to pose a threat to peace, security and sustainable development to Member States in the Horn of Africa and beyond. A key strategy in preventing and countering organized crime and acts terrorism is effective prosecution of the perpetrators and those who organise, direct, aid, abet, facilitate, benefit or counsel the commission of these crimes. To achieve effective prosecution, it is essential to strengthen the knowledge and skills of prosecutors, exchange best practices and enhance regional cooperation among prosecutors as well as other stakeholders in TOC and terrorism related cases.

Thanks to funding by the Government of Japan, UNODC is implemented the Supporting Transformation, Peace and Security in the Horn of Africa project, which aims at contributing with immediate tangible measures to conditions furthering peace and stability through secure trade and connectivity in the region by enhancing the security of the movement of people, goods, services and across boundaries to and from selected international entry ports (land, sea and air), and improving the criminal justice process in the countries of the region.

During the 5-day workshop, the 20 prosecutors representing Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, was exposed to presentations by UNODC experts on topics such as existing good practices and challenges related to international cooperation on evidentiary matters; how to integrate stakeholders in protectional services; trends related to TOC and terrorism in the region; international standards and practices related to prosecutor-to-prosecutor cooperation and police-to-police cooperation.

 Further, the participants engaged in discussion led by UNODC Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer, Mrs Hansol Park, on specific challenges related to preservation and collection of data from foreign service providers, which was followed by an introduction on the Global Initiative on Handling Electronic Evidence: its technical assistance tools by UNODC Coordinator of the Global Initiative on Handling Electronic Evidence, Mrs Arianna Lepore.

Emergency incidents require immediate actions for urgent data requests across borders. Lawfully obtaining electronic evidence from the Internet and communication service providers is critical to successful prosecutions. More specifically, electronic evidence can be used to indicate the location of terrorists and organized crime suspects, with whom they were communicating, and what crimes they planned and committed.

Building upon the result of this training, UNODC will organize another training workshop on 13-17 June 2022, focusing on the utilization of electronic evidence through the international and regional cooperation, including the public-private partnership.

As part of the same project, UNODC recently procured and handed over office equipment to support and strengthen the operational capacity of the Directorate on Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism of the Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Justice to effectively prosecute Serious and Transnational Organized Crime at a ceremony event held at Ethiopia Ministry of Justice at Lideta, Addis Ababa.

The “Supporting Transformation, Peace and Security in the Horn of Africa” project is delivered as part of the UNODC Countering Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Programmes and implemented within the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for Eastern Africa (2016-2022) – Promoting the Rule of Law.

 

For more information please contact:

Mr Johan Kruger (johan.kruger@un.org)

Head of Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Programmes

UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa