Bamako-Mali. More than twenty specialized Counter Terrorism Pole magistrates and investigators, members of the National Permanent Secretariat against firearms proliferation and other investigators from Interpol, forensics services, police and gendarmerie participated in the last “Training workshop for magistrates and investigators on the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of firearms related offenses”, organized by the Firearms Trafficking Section (FTS), from 13 to 16 February, in Bomoko, Mali.
The workshop focused on strengthening the technical and operational capacities of magistrates and investigators in order gain specific skills to conduct firearms trafficking parallel investigations, as well as on prosecution and adjudication. The training enabled magistrates and investigators to better understand topics such as the international, regional and national legal frameworks on firearms; the particularities of firearms offenses; firearms identification and tracing; financial investigations into offenses related to firearms; international judicial and law enforcement cooperation as well as interagency cooperation; all in a context of respect for human rights. To benefit from the expertise of participants, the training focused on practical exercises that were developed and discussed in groups.
The opening ceremony was presided by Dramane DIARRA, representant of Ministry of Justice; Colonel Adama DIARRA, Permanent Secretary of the National Permanent Secretary against small arms and light weapons proliferation; and by Mustapha ZLAF, on behalf of the European Union Delegation in Mali. During the opening, UNODC highlighted the importance of conducting interinstitutional trainings with experts who are tasked to work together in the fight against illicit firearms trafficking.
The workshop is part of the FTS integrated support to Mali, which has been ongoing since 2012 in close cooperation with the National Commission on Arms Control.
To benefit from its presence in the country, UNODC held various encounters with national counterparts, including on the support to ongoing firearms trafficking cases, particularly in terms of facilitating international cooperation. This initiative was made possible thanks to the support of the European Union through the DISRUPT project, a joint initiative with INTERPOL aimed at preventing organized crime, including the trafficking of firearms. Project DISRUPT is part of the Global Illicit Flows Programme of the European Union.
This project is funded by the European Union
