20 July 2020 - Khartoum, Sudan
The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on aviation was tremendous. As we move into a post-COVID-19 world of air travel, the Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP) organized a two-day awareness raising webinar for Sudanese law enforcement authorities operating at international airports to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on aviation from a law enforcement perspective and to enhance their preparedness to the post-COVID new reality.
During the first day of the training, AIRCOP collaborated with Airport Council International (ACI) to present good practices and measures taken at airports during the outbreak particularly those related to passenger management, screening measures, occupational health, and safety of security officers at immigration and searching checkpoints.
As discussions moved further on the second day, UNODC experts provided insights on how certain forms of transnational organized crime increased during COVID-19, such as illicit trade of falsified medical products, while other forms of crime that could involve direct movement may have decreased. The need for law enforcement to be on alert remains vital as transnational activities evolve every day.
Experts presented during the webinar the role and measures of law enforcement agencies at the airports to counter these crimes in the context of and post COVID19.
Since early 2020, AIRCOP started its engagement with Sudan to strengthen the security capacities of international airports. AIRCOP activities in Sudan are generously funded by the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Since early 2020, AIRCOP started its engagement with Sudan to strengthen the security capacities of international airports. AIRCOP activities in Sudan are generously funded by the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
To further support law enforcement agencies in continuing their necessary work during and post COVID-19, AIRCOP provided Sudanese law enforcement authorities (Police and Customs) operating at international airports with the necessary with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to safeguard their occupational health and safety. The PPEs included overalls, goggles, masks, gloves, sanitizers, and hand soap. and other essential items.
These efforts contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically to SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-Being” and SDG 16 “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.”
AIRCOP, implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in partnership with INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO), aims at strengthening the capacities of international airports to detect and intercept drugs, other illicit goods and high-risk passengers (including Foreign Terrorist Fighters FTFs), in origin, transit, and destination countries. AIRCOP also promotes intelligence and information sharing between services at the national and international levels, as well as an intelligence-led approach to countering all types of trafficking as well as other potential threats.
This story is part of many stories reflecting our efforts, follow UNODC ROMENA dedicated COVID-19 updates’ webpage to know more about UNODC regional action in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to support Member States’ response to the pandemic.
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