United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

West and Central Africa

Malian court and CT specialized unit officials discuss practices in investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating terrorism trials

21-06-2021

Terrorism continues to represent a great threat to Mali. Mali is exerting substantial effort to enhance the criminal justice response to these threats. To further enhance this response, a training was jointly organized by UNODC and MINUSMA. Read more

UNODC facilitates south-south cybercrime collaboration between Senegal & Niger

04-06-2021

A team of 6 cybercrime officers from Niger took part in a training workshop in Dakar provided by the Senegal police cyber unit, and facilitated by UNODC. A Senegalese officer, supported by UNODC, led the workshop in the first bilateral knowledge-sharing workshop of its kind between the two countries in the domain of cybercrime. Read more

UNODC develops strategy to combat crime linked to fake meds in West & Central Africa

28-05-2021

UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROSEN) organized a side-event to the 30th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, which took place from 17 to 21 of May in Vienna, Austria to raise awareness of the scourge of falsified medical products and to discuss responses to combat crime related to falsified medical products in this region. Read more

SUCCESS STORY: 2 years of collaboration by UNODC & Peace Building Fund

11-05-2021

In just two years UNODC and the Peace Building Fund have strengthened community dialogue in Mali and Niger through training sessions with key groups and members of the public, particularly actors at the countries’ borders, on the roles and mandates of the Defense and Security Forces. Read more

UNODC holds capacity-building training for Quranic teachers on human trafficking

11-05-2021

More than forty religious school teachers participated in a workshop on ending forced child begging and exploitation in Senegal, in the framework of a USAID-funded project organized by UNODC. The workshops covered the basic concepts of trafficking in persons, the most prevalent forms of exploitation in Senegal. Read more

UNODC trains the Police Component of the G5 Sahel Joint Force

29-04-2021

The first regional training session on the Human Rights Compliance Framework and judicialization for the Police Component of the G5 Sahel Joint Force was organized by UNODC, in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the European Union, Interpol and Afripol. Read more

UNODC donates equipment to Malian judicial authorities to boost terrorism investigations

17-04-2021

UNODC has donated vehicles, computer equipment, cameras, and dictaphones to the Malian Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the Specialized Judicial Pole (SPJ) to help improve the Malian judicial authorities’ investigations and legal proceedings of terrorism cases. Read more

UNODC supports Senegal in strengthening its criminal law response to terrorism

08-04-2021

While not living under a constant terrorist threat, Senegal seeks to develop its terrorism prevention measures. UNODC supported the Government of Senegal in a consultative meeting on legislation on criminal response to terrorism in Dakar. Read more

UNODC supports Ghana to enhance police cooperation to combat terrorism

25-03-2021

Technological tools to combat terrorism, the use of financial intelligence units, the gathering of digital evidence during prosecutions proceedings and the collection of battlefield evidence in military operations were discussed at a workshop organized by UNODC that gathered national counter terrorism experts from Ghana. Read more

Strengthening women's leadership in preventing and combating violent extremism in Mauritania

15-04-2021

In the context of the gender institutionalization strategy of the Mauritanian government, UNODC and UNESCO have jointly developed a project to strengthen women's leadership in preventing and combating violent extremism in Mauritania. Read more

UNODC works to increase the role of women in Sahelian defence and security forces

06-04-2021

UNODC, in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the G5 Sahel, organized in March 2021 a two-day workshop in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on increasing the participation of women in security operations in the Sahel. Read more

UNODC supports Mali's Specialized Investigation Brigade in the Fight against Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime

01-04-2021

Mali has long been subject to terrorism and violent extremism, particularly due to two major terrorist organizations in the region - Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). UNODC has been delivering assistance to strengthen capacity and knowledge on the terrorism threat in Mali and the Sahel. Read more

2018-2021: The Niamey Declaration celebrates its 3rd anniversary!

16-03-2021

On March 16, 2018, 14 Ministers of Interior and of Foreign Affairs from West Africa and Europe, together with the European Union and other international organizations, adopted the Niamey Declaration, committing States to tackle the smuggling of migrants (SoM) and trafficking in persons (TiP) between countries of origin, transit and destination. Read more

Container Control Programme (CCP) Annual Report 2020: Results in West Africa

16-03-2021

Today, most of the world’s raw materials move through the maritime container trade. Yet, only 2% of containers worldwide are properly inspected. Actions of organized crime groups in the movement of supplies and illegal goods have not seen a palpable decline despite the apparent limitations resulting from the ongoing pandemic. Click here to read more about the work of the UNODC-WCO CCP in West Africa.

UNODC commends Germany for its commitment during the COVID-19 crisis

09-03-2021

Germany's financial support and responsiveness has enabled UNODC to provide personal protective equipments to the law enforcement agencies of Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, the Gambia, Ghana, Senegal and the police component of the G5 Sahel to ensure continuity in the fight against drug trafficking, transnational organised crime and terrorism. Read more

UNODC celebrates International Women's Day in West and Central Africa

08-01-2021

Since the beginning of the pandemic, ROSEN has been engaged in the response to the COVID-19 crisis in partnership with women from civil society, public institutions and law enforcement agencies. These women were able to use their skills and knowledge to respond effectively to the challenges posed by this crisis. The UNODC launches a digital awareness campaign (in French) to make their voices heard. Read more

Global Study on Firearms Trafficking 2020: Perspectives for West and Central Africa

08-01-2021

"Many countries in Africa and Asia appear to have a lower capacity to intercept and report trafficked firearms, which may lead to underreporting of some types of firearms. Moreover, the total figures reported by countries include seizures which are not directly connected to trafficking". Executive Summary of the Study available in English and French. Read more

Cybercrime investigations are showing good results in Burkina Faso

04-01-2021

Cybercrime is a transnational crime, involving organised criminal groups and posing challenges in terms of governance as well as in the investigation of the Darknet cryptomarket or the exploitation of cryptocurrencies. Investigators continue to be challenged by the high speed of data exchange, the involvement of multiple providers and nuances necessary to apply traditional legal principles to this crime. Read more

Firearms Operation KAFO II disrupts illicit supplies in the Sahel