Amb. Gnamien ECOWAS Resident Representative in Niger.
Joint training and peer exchanges have proven to be key methods to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies in the fight against Transnational Organized Crime (TOC). These activities have proven to raise platforms to share knowledge and experience, build the needed network and enhance collaboration; Peer learning has several benefits such as professional development, and enhancing teamwork.
In a bid to enhance international cooperation and build the capacity of law enforcement in the fight against illicit drug manufacture and trafficking, the Organized Crime: West African Response to Trafficking (OCWAR–T) project facilitated a Peer Exchange between law enforcement agencies from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Niger including Cellule de Lutte Contre le Crime Organisé Benin (CLCO), Central Office for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCTRIS), Customs, Directorate of the Counter-Narcotics Police (DPSD), Gendarmerie, Joint Airport Interdiction Task Force (JAITF), Niger Poste (Centre National De Tri Postal – CNTP), and the Transnational Crime Unit (TCU), Cote d’Ivoire.
Ms Baranaye Marcus, National Professional Officer, Organized Crime, (CONIG) UNODC working in synergy with Mr Amari Bedi, Regional Technical Officer (RTO), International Narcotic Control Board (INCB), Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme, implemented a Peer Exchange and Joint Training on the Handling of Dangerous Substances including New Psychotropic Substances (NPS). The one-week activity included practical exercises on the correct handling of dangerous substances, testing and identifying dangerous substances and the correct use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). In attendance were 22 participants who shared experiences of the biggest cases handled by their agencies, lessons learnt, and some challenges they have encountered during their work and how they overcame the challenges.
In their opening remarks, the Head of Cooperation, European Union (EU) in Niger, Mr Strammer Geza, stated that “In close partnership with the ECOWAS Commission, the EU is pleased to support this very important meeting through the OCWAR-T project, to enhance regional knowledge of and experience in responding to NPS, to improve the joint response to drug trafficking and TOC more broadly.” Amb. Guillaume N’Dri Gnamien, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Niger posited that “Such workshops is a great opportunity for law enforcement officers dealing with combating drug trafficking in the ECOWAS region to share and gain experience on the international best practises in combating drug trafficking especially as the spread of New Psychotropic Substances in the region is fast becoming a menace.”
According to the Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for West and Central Africa, Dr Amado Philip de Andrés, “Peer exchanges and capacity-building plays a critical role in helping to enhance the skillsets of law enforcement personnel in dismantling organized crime groups. Platforms such as this, that enhance joint training with other law enforcement agencies are crucial in preventing and combating transnational organized crimes".
OCWAR–T is a project to support ECOWAS and its Member States in reducing TOC. For this purpose, the project is strengthening structures, capacities and improving knowledge. Specifically, it supports efforts in criminal investigation and prosecution, improving small arms control and reducing human trafficking. The project is commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA) and co-funded by the EU.
The Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) jointly implements this project with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and Mines Advisory Group (MAG), the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC). The project covers all fifteen ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania.
