UNODC/HONLAF/24/CRP.1

Transcription

1 8 July 2014 Arabic, English and French only * Twenty-fourth Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa Addis Ababa, September 2014 * Item 3 of the provisional agenda ** Current situation with respect to subregional and regional cooperation in countering drug trafficking Current situation with respect to subregional and regional cooperation in countering drug trafficking 1. Since the Twenty-third Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 16 to 20 September 2013, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has continued to formulate and implement programmes to address problems related to drugs and organized crime in Africa. I. Africa-wide initiatives 2. Drug and human trafficking, organized crime and the illicit trafficking of firearms continue to affect the economic and social development in many parts of Africa. This situation is further exacerbated by factors including wars and intra-state conflicts, the revolutions in North Africa, weaknesses in the social and criminal justice system, corruption, limited opportunities for youth, and disparity in income levels, which provides ample opportunity for organized crime syndicates activities in the region. Moreover, over the past few years, Africa has increasingly been used by the international drug-trafficking networks to trans-ship and stockpile illicit drugs on a large scale. These illegal organizations prove to be very flexible and creative in their production and distribution processes. African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention In the context of the African Union Commission, UNODC supported the development of the African Union (AU) Plan of Action on Drug Control , * Arabic, English and French are the working languages of the subsidiary body. ** UNODC/HONLAF/24/1. V (E) * *

2 which was adopted at the 5th Session of the AUC Conference of Ministers for Drug Control and Crime Prevention in October 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 4. Two expert group meetings were held in Southern Africa in support of the Plan of Action. Representatives of 41 African countries participated in the first meeting on developing and improving responses to counter drug trafficking, which was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in Their outcomes included a plan to establish a regional intelligence centre in Africa, improving data collection and analysis in African countries, and the organization of a follow-up meeting in That meeting on evidence and human rights-based drug use prevention, dependence treatment, and aftercare service, was held in South Africa and provided participants with training on data collection techniques used by UNODC. Over 130 people from 38 African countries were trained on data collection forms and methods, research tools, production of national drug reports. Member States were also tasked to complete the Global Mapping of Treatment Capacity tool aimed at identifying technical assistance gaps by 30 May Since 2013, UNODC has cooperated with the African Union in the development and implementation of a research capacity-building project for African countries, focusing on exploring the trafficking flows of Afghan opiates throughout the continent. The cooperation also foresees the preparation of a research study on trafficking Afghan opiates in Africa, including heroin consumption and its impact on the people affected, as well as linkages to other forms of organized crime. 6. The African Union is an important partner for UNODC in the area of drug use prevention and drug dependence treatment and care. A meeting to Identify priority programmes and interventions for improving drug demand reduction efforts in Africa was held in Kampala, Uganda, from 19 to 21 February Its main purposes were to identify the greatest needs of participating countries with a view to implementing evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies, and to promote cooperation between UNODC, the African Union and other partners. Representatives of countries from the UNODC-WHO Programme also attended the meeting, which enabled the discussion of detailed plans with delegations from Cote d Ivoire and Nigeria, as well as Togo and Benin. Furthermore, the UNODC TreatNet Quality Standards on drug dependence treatment were presented and disseminated among participants. UNODC provided technical support for the process of identifying the main needs of states Members of the African Unions towards enhance evidence-based prevention and treatment strategies. A similar meeting is planned for October 2014, with a focus on training of policymakers on drug policies and their evidence-based implementation. 7. The African Union is also an important partner in UNODC s efforts to promote the use of the International Standards on Drug Use Prevention. The International Standards, which were launched in March 2013, summarize the currently available scientific evidence and identify the major components and features of an effective national drug prevention system. They serve as guidance for policymakers to develop programmes, policies and systems, contributing to a balanced approach to drug-control. Since 2013, several trainings and workshops on drug demand reduction, two of which had components on international standards, were held in cooperation with the African Union. 2 V

3 II. West Africa 8. Approximately 212 kilograms (kg) of heroin were seized in West and Central Africa in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Côte d Ivoire, Benin, and Cameroon were the six main destinations in the region. The presence of heroin does not automatically result in an injecting drug use problem. International experience shows that variations in the quality of heroin, and in particular a decline in purity, can create pressures towards injecting. 1 Law enforcement in Ghana expressed their concern regarding an apparent increase in abuse of heroin, resulting in a corresponding increase in the amount of heroin that remained in the country, although there was no sufficient data to substantiate this assertion. A WHO study in 2003 indicated that approximately 0.3 per cent of respondents had used heroin Tramadol is an analgesic opioid that is not under international control, which is often prescribed after surgery. According to experts, the use of tramadol has greatly increased, especially in the Sahel region. Although the prescribed dosage usually does not exceed 50 mg, recent seizures in the region are generally in excessive dosages of 100, 120, 125, 200, 225, or 250 mg. According to data provided by a number of India s ports and airports, 157 shipments of unauthorized tramadol took place from India to West Africa in The shipments increased to 882 in 2013, an increase by 560 per cent comparing to 2012, while between January and mid-april 2014, 232 shipments were reported. The main points of destination or transit of tramadol in West Africa appear to be Benin, followed by Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Côte d Ivoire. Approximately 900 shipments of tramadol were seized in these countries between January 2012 and mid-april Tramadol seized in Ghana and Benin was destined for Niger. In 2012, 153 tons of tramadol were seized by the customs services in Benin and Togo as part of 32 shipments. In 2013, Benin alone reported the seizures 55 tons in ten operations; the drugs were destined again for Niger. Tramadol was concealed in shipping containers from India. Misuse of tramadol has created a situation of dependency and may become a public health problem in the years to come. 10. Methamphetamine production sites in the region, primarily in Nigeria, are an increasing cause for concern. Also South American nationals with knowledge of chemistry play an important role in the production of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) in West Africa. In 2013, the Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency arrested three chemists, two from Bolivia and one from Colombia on the methamphetamine production site. Precursors needed for production of ATS are mainly trafficked or legally imported from India to West Africa and are then diverted for ATS production. The main markets for ATS produced in West Africa are in South Africa and East Asia. In 2013, three methamphetamine laboratories were dismantled in Nigeria. There may be other ATS laboratories in Ghana and Côte d Ivoire. 11. In 2013, trafficking of ATS in West Africa was evidenced by the seizures of 1,250 kg of amphetamine in the region of Bouaké in the centre of Côte d Ivoire. 1 S. S. Abdool Karim/Q. Abdool Karim (ed.), HIV/AIDS in South Africa: Edition 2, p WHO, A National Survey on Prevalence and Social Consequences of Substance (Drug) Use among Second Cycle and Out of School Youth in Ghana, August 2013, V

4 In 2011, authorities at the Lagos airport in Nigeria seized 58 kg of methamphetamine. This volume increased by 232 per cent in 2012, which, between January and July 2013, was followed by 100 per cent, reaching some 142 kg of methamphetamine. In December 2013, the customs in Senegal seized 41 kg of amphetamine and methamphetamine, hidden in cosmetic bottles and cartons, in Kidira at the border with Mali. Liberian authorities reported the seizures of 350 kg of ephedrine in 2013 and 250 kg in February 2014, while the law enforcement in Benin seized 270 kg of ephedrine. 12. Fraudulent medicines also pose a threat to public health and safety. At least 10 per cent of the imported medicines circulating in West Africa are fraudulent. The prevalence of fraudulent medicines is highest not in the markets where profits would be highest, but rather in those where the chances of detection are remote. 13. In October 2013, UNODC commenced the implementation of activities within the framework of the UNODC Contribution to the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel aiming at contributing to the security and governance pillars of the United Nations Regional Integrated Strategy for the Sahel , developed pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2056 (2012). The programme aims at supporting the development of accessible, efficient and accountable criminal justice systems in the Sahel, in order to effectively combat illicit trafficking, drug trafficking, organized crime, terrorism and corruption in the region. Since then, activities have been implemented mainly in the fields of fight against terrorism and firearms. The UNODC Regional Sahel Coordinator has taken up his post in the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROSEN) in Dakar, Senegal. In June 2013, a validation workshop was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, with the participation of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco and Niger. 14. The UNODC Regional Representative and the UNODC Sahel Coordinator are members of the Steering Committee of the Sahel Coordination Mechanism set up to oversee the coordination of the activities of all the United Nations agencies involved in the implementation of the Integrated Strategy. UNODC convened, jointly with the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), the Task Force on Security, one of three main pillars of the implementation of the Strategy. UNODC also actively contributes to the work of the Task Force on Governance. Additionally, in this framework, UNODC contributes to the submission of joint proposals with other United Nations agencies. 15. In 2011, UNODC had supported ECOWAS Member States in establishing the West African Network of Central Authorities and Prosecutors (WACAP). Since then, the Network has held three meetings and training programmes, including at the national level. The Network brings together prosecutors and central authorities to exchange ideas, experiences and best practices and participate in joint trainings. Members also benefit from training and experience shared by experts from the United States of America and France. There are marked improvements in the handling of requests for international cooperation by countries participating in the network, both among themselves as well as with countries outside the subregion. 16. The Global Container Control Programme (CCP), which is implemented jointly by UNODC and WCO, currently has project sites in Africa, Central and South America, as well as Central Asia and South Asia. The core of this initiative is 4 V

5 the establishment of inter-agency Joint Port Control Units (JPCUs) including customs, police and other structures such as gendarmerie and drug law enforcement agency. The teams are trained in risk analysis and profiling, as well as container inspection. They are also supported with range of equipment and technology, including the software Container COMM, which is a secure message system allowing container control units around the world to exchange information and intelligence in real time. In 2013, 281 kg of cocaine in Ghana and 127 kg of heroin in Benin were seized by CCP-trained units, showing the continued success of the programme in terms of actual seizures. A further 33 kg of cocaine was seized in January 2014 by the CCP-trained unit in Togo. The strategy for is: (i) to increase the level of mentoring support to the existing units in Senegal, Ghana, Togo and Benin, (ii) to promote information sharing and cooperation between West Africa and source countries through planned operations; (iii) to deliver specialized training in areas of particular concern e.g. precursor control; (iv) to make significant strides in launching the programme in the Port of Abidjan, Côte d Ivoire, (v) to explore the opportunities to expand the programme into other key ports in West Africa such as Lagos, Conakry and Monrovia, as well as Douala and Pointe Noire in Central Africa. UNODC will ensure its activities are coordinated with those of other donors and technical assistance partners. 17. UNODC continued providing technical assistance to various ECOWAS Member States through its Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and Terrorism Financing (GPML), which is aimed at strengthening their anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CFT) systems. Throughout , UNODC/GPML conducted several awareness-raising and training events for various AML/CFT stakeholders, in particular financial intelligence units (FIUs), law enforcement agencies and Magistrates. UNODC/GPML completed a report on seizure, confiscation and management of proceeds of crime in West Africa, which served as the basis for a regional workshop held in Senegal, March At the end of the workshop participants agreed on the proposed establishment of a regional network on asset forfeiture, similar to the Camden Asset Recovery Interagency Network (CARIN) and other ARIN-type networks. 18. In response to the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan, three United Nations agencies, namely UNODC, UNOWA and the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) as well as the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), are implementing the West Africa Coast Initiative (WACI), which targets for the time being five post-conflict countries in West Africa: Côte d Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Conakry. WACI implementation in Sierra Leone and Liberia is the most advanced in comparison to the other three implementing countries. The Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) in Sierra Leone, which currently has 55 staff members, is fully functional and operational. Its overall operational capability has been strengthened through a series of on-the-job training courses, as well as ground case investigation/operation practices. Based on the figures provided by TOCU, 268 cases were investigated between 2010 to 2012, while 194 suspects were arrested in 2011 and Fifty-six out of 141 cases that were sent to court led to convictions. The total number of seizures attributable to the work of TOCU amounted to 5.47 tons of cannabis and certain amounts of cocaine and heroin. In Liberia, the TCU has been fully established, while a comprehensive package of V

6 training and capacity-building has been delivered, along with some basic equipment. Initial operations have also been successfully executed. Exchange of information and joint operations have been already conducted between TOCU Sierra Leone and TCU Liberia. The TCU in Guinea-Bissau is in the start-up phase, with only eight members in place. Following the military coup in Guinea-Bissau in May 2012, the funds had been frozen, but UNODC and the other WACI partners were still in position to continue providing limited technical assistance and capacity-building activities to the TCU members. To initiate the establishment of similar Units in Côte d Ivoire and Guinea-Conakry, assessment missions were carried out to both countries in mid-2012, and the reports were endorsed by the respective national authorities. The Côte d Ivoire authorities are currently working in close cooperation with the WACI partners in finalizing the decree for establishment of the TCU in that country. 19. In the framework of the Airport Communication Project (AIRCOP), eight Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces (JAITFs) are currently fully operational in Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal and Togo. In 2013, 55 seizures were made, with a total of 87 kg of cocaine, 3.81 kg of heroin, kg of methamphetamine and kg of cannabis. Sixty-four people could be arrested. The establishment of the JAITF in Gambia is ongoing and it is expected to be fully operational in June In Guinea, the project is suspended in accordance with European Council Decision 2012/665/CFSP amending Council Decision 2010/638/CFSP. From 26 October to 3 November 2013, through the Operation COCAIR IV, organized by World Customs Organization in cooperation with UNODC and INTERPOL, coordination was facilitated among all JAITFs with other law enforcement units, such as customs and police, in combating trafficking in cocaine and other prohibited goods. With the participation of European countries, a tighter network for enhanced surveillance of traffic from the cocaine production zones to the destination zones via the transit countries was made possible. The West African JAITFs made 23 seizures amounting to kg of illicit drugs, including kg of cocaine and carried out 18 arrests. Annual meetings and steering committees continue to increase synergy between partners and beneficiaries about the implementation and achievement of goals. 20. In February 2013, the Heads of State endorsed the ECOWAS Commission s Memorandum on the two-year extension (2013 to 2015) of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan. The extension period would allow the ECOWAS Commission to undertake the operational review of the implementation, and re-validate the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on Illicit Drug Trafficking, Organized Crime related to it and Drug Abuse in West Africa. UNODC has provided technical assistance during the 10th Meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Drug Coordinating Committee (IMDCC) of ECOWAS States members held in January 2014 in Cotonou (Benin) to identify emerging challenges, and to propose ways of accelerating the implementation of the plan. The gaps identified and emerging challenges will form the basis of the formulation of the 2015 to 2020 Drug Action Plan. 21. Cabo Verde has updated data on drug use prevalence in the general population and students as a result of UNODC-supported national survey conducted in Access to drug dependence treatment and care at community level has been strengthened as one of the implementation outputs of the country s segment of UNODC TreatNet II programme started in June The capacity of Cabo Verde 6 V

7 to combat illicit trafficking and organized crime was evidenced by a seizure of 1.5 ton of cocaine in 2011 and the subsequent investigation, prosecution, trial and conviction of about 10 out of 15 defendants over the following three years. Most of the defendants in the well-known drug trafficking case, also known as the Saso Lancha Voadora or the speedboat case were convicted of drug trafficking and money-laundering. However, charges against the criminal organization were dropped at the final stage of the trial at the country s Supreme Court of Justice on the grounds of lack of elements defining a criminal association. 22. In January 2013, UNODC started drug demand reduction activities in Liberia, aiming at improving the treatment and rehabilitation capacity of substance abuse and drugs, while simultaneously undertaking community outreach in a preventive dimension. A strong partnership was established with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). UNODC also provided technical assistance to the DEA. In the framework of institution-building and enhancing counter narcotic capacity in Liberia, a Law on the Institutional Development of the DEA, which was developed with technical assistance by UNODC, was approved by the Minister of Justice in September Interdiction capacity was further enhanced by the establishment of a deployment joint team composed of DEA and TCU staff at the Roberts International Airport, which seized 3,195 g of heroin and 1,390 g of cocaine in December 2013 and February In 2013, UNODC commenced the implementation of a comprehensive European Union-funded project to support the Government of Nigeria in its efforts to fight illicit drug production, trafficking and use, and to curb related organized crime including fraudulent medicines. Over a 55-month period, the project aims to strengthen national capacity to tackle drug-related challenges using a multicomponent approach. The objectives of the project are as follows: (i) to support evidence-based policy formulation, and improve legislation and coordination; (ii) to improve law enforcement and regulatory capacity in drug control and tackle organized drug-related crime; and (iii) to enhance drug prevention, and treatment and care services adapted to the needs and requirements on the ground. 24. Key activities include the commencement of national cannabis cultivation survey in July 2013, which included the training of 55 staff members of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on data collection in support of this survey. This survey is continuing throughout 2014 in order to collect sufficient data to properly map the cannabis growing areas. The planning and design of a comprehensive national drug use survey is due to be finalized in late 2014, with the survey anticipated to commence in September Support was also provided to the formulation of the Drug Control Master Plan , which is expected to be completed by the end of This plan will provide the NDLEA and its partners with a roadmap to respond to drug trafficking and related organized crime in Nigeria. An institutional assessment of the NDLEA was completed in May The report and its recommendations will serve as the centrepiece of reform and capacity-building activities delivered through the project to the NDLEA. In addition, a critical operational needs assessment of law enforcement agencies to better respond to drugs and related organized crime was completed in mid Through active coordination in the implementation of activities under the project, UNODC seeks to complement related efforts by other partners of the Government of Nigeria, such as support provided to the NDLEA by the United V

8 States of America in the form of training courses, as well as capacity-building support provided to the NDLEA by the United States of America, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Germany. III. Central Africa 26. At present, UNODC activities in Central Africa are severely limited by the lack of resources. However, potential for programmatic initiatives in Central Africa include strengthening maritime security and curbing illicit trafficking in the Sahel. In 2013, UNODC continued exchanging with the Government of Sao Tome and Principe regarding the implementation of the country s National Integrated Programme. Efforts to mobilize funding are ongoing. UNODC is in contact with the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and has started supporting the Government of Gabon in its efforts against wildlife crime. IV. Southern Africa 27. Countries in Southern Africa share a number of common challenges, such as poverty, unemployment, rapid urbanization, poor governance and criminal justice structures, corruption, rising levels of crime, a proliferation of firearms, gender-based violence, as well as increasing levels of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. 28. At the same time, they benefit from increased cross-border trade and travel. The relative ease with which people and goods cross national borders within the region, combined with the lack of intraregional law enforcement cooperation and legislative harmonization, has allowed organized criminal groups to operate without significant threat from authorities. Some countries with large and vibrant economies also appear to be either countries of origin, transit or destination, or are used to launder criminal proceeds. Organized crime groups in the region may be bound together by language, nationality or ethnicity, but tend to cooperate externally regardless of such differences, a tendency that indicates their increasing professionalization and maturity. 29. Transnational organized crime across Southern Africa continued to increase in These crimes include trafficking in drugs, small arms, stolen goods, wildlife products and human beings, as well as smuggling of products, such as cigarettes. Linkages between groups involved in crime continued to develop, such as the exchange of wildlife products for ATS precursors, in particular the exchange of illegally harvested abalone/perlemon for pseudoephedrine from South Africa. 30. Southern Africa continues to be a key node in the trafficking of class of drugs A category of narcotic or psychotropic drugs, to the EU, the United States of America, Canada, Australia and Asia. The transportation infrastructure in the region is used for drug trafficking, trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. During 2013, transhipment of cocaine and heroin were reported, as well as trafficking of methamphetamine produced in the region to Asia and the Middle East. Development of new harbours such as Port Ngqura, and expansion of existing harbours such as Durban, continue to be tested by traffickers as possible entry points for drugs into Southern Africa. Southern African nationals continue to be 8 V

9 detained as drug couriers in Southern and South-East Asia and South America. Women, especially those from low income backgrounds, continue to be vulnerable to recruitment as drug couriers. In order to gain a better understanding of heroin trafficking in the region, UNODC continued a research project in Southern Africa as part of the broader Afghan Opiate Trade Programme. 31. Heroin seizures have continued to rise in the region, particularly in South Africa, where the law enforcement, within a period of just six months, seized 90 kg of heroin as part of two significant seizures of 50 kg in December 2013 and 40 kg in April 2014, respectively. At least one of these seizures was of heroin destined exclusively for the South African market. The majority of heroin is smuggled into Southern Africa either by maritime transport from South-West Asia into Eastern Africa and Mozambique, or by air passengers on increasingly indirect routes. While South Africa operates a precursor control programme and has achieved success in dismantling laboratories manufacturing methcathinone and methamphetamine, it remains a producer and exporter of amphetamine-type stimulants. Reports from the South African police and media reports of seizures in destination countries indicate trafficking of amphetamine-type stimulants, using couriers, to airports in the Gulf region and onward trafficking from those airports to Asia and possibly Australia. Cannabis is produced and consumed locally in most of the countries in the Southern African region, though it is also exported to Europe. South African groups are engaged in the online sale of illicit drugs using the anonymity software, such as the Tor Network. 32. Large-scale seizures of methaqualone/mandrax and its precursors continue to be reported from Mozambique and South Africa. These recent seizures have included 605 kg of N-Acetylanthranilic acid in Northern Mozambique, and 3,000 kg of methaqualone in Johannesburg, South Africa. The methaqualone is believed for local consumption in the Southern Africa region in general, but predominantly in South Africa. 33. Only some of the countries in the region are able to provide reliable data on drug seizures, drug arrests or prevalence rates of illicit drug consumption. The assessment of the scale or nature of the illicit drug economy in Africa, and particularly Southern Africa, is hampered by the lack of such data. Southern Africa continues to be underrepresented in drug assessment reports prepared by UNODC, such as the recent Global Synthetic Drugs Assessment. 34. Records of patients presenting for drug treatment in South Africa show cannabis continues to be the main illicit drug consumed. ATS and Mandrax have high rates of abuse in both urban and rural areas, and high levels of heroin and cocaine abuse occur in all major urban areas. Regional drug consumption patterns are unknown due to lack of comprehensive surveys and reports from treatment service providers. 35. Some countries in the region have little or no capacity for controlled deliveries, making investigations difficult. While the police, particularly in South Africa, cooperate with countries in Europe, North and South America using police liaison officers (PLOs), as well as with authorities in Asia and the Middle East in larger operations, use of such resources remains low in other Southern Africa countries. Many more PLOs are required to cover the region and beyond from single duty stations in Southern Africa. V

10 36. In May 2014, at a special high-level session of the Annual General Meeting of the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (SARPCCO) in Windhoek, Namibia, representatives from UNODC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) confirmed their commitment to make the SADC Region safer from crime and drugs through their Joint Regional Programme for UNODC continued to support the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of Southern Africa (ARINSA) in 2013, which is modelled on the Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network, and supports proceeds of crime/asset forfeiture practitioners network, as well as facilitates information requests for international and regional mutual legal assistance. In 2012, UNODC supported the expansion of ARINSA to include Burundi, Kenya and Uganda; facilitated the ARINSA Annual General Meeting in South Africa, as well as legislation and case study training in Zambia. Needs assessment missions were conducted in Mauritius and Zambia, to further inform UNODC s asset recovery programmes in these countries. Subsequently national workshops were held in both countries with over 100 prosecutors trained in asset forfeiture proceedings. 38. UNODC produced Asset Management Manuals, as well as legislative reviews for the introduction of non-conviction based forfeiture for Botswana and Namibia. 39. A website has been established to be used by the ARINSA network. It consists of an open area, as well as a secure platform for exchanging information, and an e-learning platform. 40. In April 2014, as part of this project UNODC-WHO Programme on Drug Dependence Treatment and Care, the Regional Office for Southern African for UNODC, in cooperation with the Department of Mental Health in Mozambique, conducted a five-day training on Volumes A-D of the UNODC TreatNet Training Package for 32 practitioners working with drug treatment in Maputo, Mozambique. V. East Africa 41. In September 2013, UNDOC launched a publication entitled Transnational Organized Crime in Eastern Africa: A Threat Assessment, which was the result of over two years of extensive research into the major transnational organized crime threats in the region. In view of the size and diversity of the East African region, the assessment focused on four selected major issues: (i) migrant smuggling from Ethiopia and Somalia to Yemen and Saudi Arabia; (ii) heroin trafficking from South-West Asia to Eastern Africa; (iii) ivory trafficking through Eastern Africa to Asia; and (iv) Somali maritime piracy. Despite the differences among these criminal activities, they have emerged by profiting from common vulnerabilities in the region. The study found that transnational organized crime in Eastern Africa was a product of both illicit markets that spanned several continents and of an underlying weakness in the rule of law, especially in the ability of States to address illegal cross-border activities. Poverty, weak governance and corruption are contributing factors as well. 42. The study found that trafficking in heroin was the main concern. While heroin has been trafficked to and through Eastern Africa since at least the 1980s, a series of 10 V

11 recent large seizures suggests that the flow has increased. Instances of trafficking via air couriers has been noted, but it appears that the great bulk of the heroin is being transported by dhow from the Makran Coast, an area that spans the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan. The local markets are estimated to consume at least 2.5 tons of pure heroin per year, at a value of approximately US$ 160 million. The overall volume trafficked to the region appears to be much larger, as much as 22 tons per year, suggesting the presence of substantial trans-shipment flows. East Africa is a known transit area for heroin destined for South and West Africa. Given the prevalence of blood-borne disease and known injection drug use, the spread of heroin throughout the region has to be carefully monitored and addressed. A study focused specifically on the so-called Southern Route for opiates trafficked from the Makram coast is expected to be finalized by the end of In view of the findings of the threat assessment, UNODC reinforced its efforts to support Member States in the region in addressing illicit trafficking and organized crime through the establishment of Transnational Organized Crime Units (TOCUs). Following the 2009 Nairobi Declaration and the 2010 East African Police Chiefs Conference on TOCUs, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda had been selected as pilot countries for the establishment of such units. A preparatory meeting had been held June 2011 to discuss the organization, the formulation of memorandums of understanding and the standard operating procedures. A series of workshops with relevant national stakeholders followed. To optimize the effectiveness of TOCUs, it was foreseen that the staff would have multi-agency backgrounds drawn from various law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, under the leadership of the police. However, despite extensive discussions with Member States during the above events, the establishment of the units did not move forward at the time. 44. The threat assessment supported the view that high-end capacity was required to investigate transnational organized crime and coordinate intelligence across borders in the region. As a result, the Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA) in Nairobi, Kenya, developed an implementation plan on TOCUs for Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda, to facilitate the upstream investigation of intelligence created by, among others, UNODC s Container Control Programme and AIRCOP, while also addressing corruption and introducing specialized intelligence-led cross-border investigations. The implementation plan, as a key element in addressing illicit trafficking within the region, was presented and discussed with Member States and other partners. It is foreseen that the TOCUs would independently investigate complex transnational organized crimes and act as primary national focal points for international investigations and joint intelligence-led operations, based on an integrated approach with parallel investigations into associated financial flows and corruption. Moreover, the Units will have a 24/7 availability and be linked in a network to other existing TOCU-like units. With the opening of a new Ethiopian Airlines route from South America, an expected increase in cocaine flows to the region is enhancing the need for extension of AIRCOP to Kenya and Ethiopia. 45. In Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania, assistance has been provided to Kenyan National Agency for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) and the Tanzanian Anti-Drug Commission, to set up drug research laboratories to enhance the local capacity for research on the increasing illicit drug trade. V

12 46. A regional conference of experts in mutual legal assistance and international cooperation in criminal matters was organized from 10 to 13 June 2014 in Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania, to discuss regional crime phenomena and the need to improve international and regional cooperation in addressing organized and trans-border crimes. 47. In an effort to increase the capacity of the United Republic of Tanzania to implement the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, a gap assessment was completed in May 2014, which was presented and discussed at a stakeholders meeting from 2 to 14 June The discussions aimed to define a final workplan to increase the capacity of the Government, on mainland and Zanzibar, to address the rampant and increasing challenges posed by illicit drug trafficking and other forms of organized crime, including wildlife and forest crimes. 48. In 2013 and 2014, UNODC continued to conduct training programmes with a focus on drug dependence treatment and counselling for 1,457 health professionals from Burundi, Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and the United Republic of Tanzania. A regional workshop for the Prison Commissioner s staff on HIV prevention in prison settings was held in Mauritius in September UNODC also undertook a study on Drug Use and HIV in Mauritius and a study on HIV and TB in Prisons in Ethiopia and the United Republic of Tanzania. UNODC also carried out activities to build the capacitybuilding of law enforcement officers, the judiciary and civil society organizations (CSOs) in understanding the nexus between injecting drug users and HIV in Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania (both mainland and Zanzibar). 49. In 2013, UNODC supported the Government of Kenya to produce numerous policy guidelines and reports on drug use. UNODC provided technical support in the review of the NACADA 2009 National Standards for Treatment and Rehabilitation of Persons with Substance Use Disorders. In 2013, UNODC and the Kenya National Aids and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) produced the Kenya Most-at-Risk Populations Size Estimations Consensus Report. As of mid-2013, a report of a Rapid Assessment of the Heroin Crisis and the National and Provincial Response in Kenya s Coastal and Nairobi Provinces by NACADA and Ministry of Health is in advanced stages of completion. In 2014, NACADA received technical and financial support to establish a National Drug Observatory to monitor and report on the status of drug supply and demand reduction efforts in the country. Two reports have been produced for presentation to the Cabinet. 50. In the United Republic of Tanzania, a study conducted by the Drug Control Commission in 2013 identified the need for improved capacities to gain a better understanding of the drug problem in order to facilitate interventions, establish an accreditation system for drug-dependence treatment and produce guidelines for the establishment of a comprehensive system to prevent drug use. Recommendations included the need to increase national and transnational cooperation among law enforcement agencies, as well as taking action leading to an increase in interdictions, prosecutions and convictions. 51. In addition to integrating drug use prevention training with drug-dependence treatment for Comoros and Madagascar, UNODC organized a high level regional meeting on drug use prevention programmes for national drug commission bodies 12 V

13 and other stakeholders from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Seychelles, the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda. 52. In 2014, UNODC, through the United Nations Joint Team on HIV, supported the Kenyan Ministry of Health to draft a new HIV Prevention Revolution Road Map that addresses people who inject drugs (PWIDS). This Road Map will inform the next National AIDS Strategic Plan being developed for The national programme monitoring system for HIV has been strengthened to track HIV interventions for key populations at increased HIV risk, including people who use drugs. 53. To support the initiation of opiate substitution therapy in Kenya, UNODC has scaled up its advocacy efforts to reach parliamentarians, faith-based organizations, media and the community. In 2013, UNODC in collaboration with UNAIDS organized a study tour to Mauritius best practice methadone programme for 16 high level policymakers and programme coordinators from national and county levels. Over 22 media houses and over 50 Muslim clergy have been sensitized on the rights of key populations to health and need for evidence-based interventions to prevent HIV among all key populations, including people who use drugs. In addition to undertaking rapid needs assessments of proposed MAT health facilities in Coast region, UNODC has supported training for about 35 health workers and sensitization of 40 CSO representatives from high burdened counties in Nairobi and Coast Region on MAT using a low threshold approach. 54. Through its multi-country Sustainable Livelihood Project, UNODC has awarded grants to ten CSOs and Government institutions in Ethiopia, Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda. As a result, male and female active and recovering drug users, as well as prisoners about to be released, including those living with HIV, are developing their entrepreneurship skills in farming, tailoring, soap-making, driving and solar lamp marketing, leading to some participants to secure microcredit loans in order to start small businesses. VI. North Africa 55. The process of political change across much of the Middle East and North Africa continued throughout and, due to instability, the region has increasingly become a transit hub for the illegal drug trade. Due to its strategic location and comparatively weak national control measures, the trafficking of drugs, firearms and human beings, as well as migrant smuggling, is expanding in the region, bringing increasing profits to international and local criminal organizations. Border controls and cooperation between the countries remain inadequate. Interventions to prevent and combat illicit trafficking and organized crime will require strong and effective controls along national borders. A major obstacle in this regard is weak cross-border cooperation and coordination among the countries and subregions. 56. The Regional Programme on Drug Control, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Reform in the Arab States ( ) was elaborated, in cooperation with the League of Arab States (LAS), through extensive consultations with national counterparts and building on the past sixteen years of UNODC support to Member States in the region in addressing challenges associated with illicit trafficking, V

14 organized crime and terrorism, criminal justice, as well as drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. As follow-up to the second meeting of the Steering and Follow-up Committee for the Regional Programme, which was held in Cairo, Egypt in May 2013, UNODC undertook several initiatives to further strengthen the cooperation with the LAS and Member States throughout the region. 57. UNODC, in partnership with the LAS, organized a regional workshop on international and regional cooperation in organized crime cases, which concluded with a set of recommendations whereby the 16 participating countries agreed to further discuss the modalities for the establishment of an Arabic Regional Network of Central Authorities or focal points to support judicial cooperation in preventing and combating organized crime and terrorism. The objective of such a regional network would be to facilitate formal and informal cooperation in criminal matters among the countries of the Middle East and North Africa through strengthening knowledge and capacities in the area of judicial cooperation and contributing to the exchange of experiences, as well as facilitating linkages with countries and similar networks in other regions such as the network of national central authorities and prosecutors that is being established at the Gulf level with support of UNODC. 58. Organized crime groups in North Africa and the Middle East exploit weak and inconsistent port controls throughout the region, with sea freight containers being particularly vulnerable. UNODC continued to promote and inform Governments in the region about the implementation of the UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme (CCP), which, through the establishment of Joint Port Control Units (JPCUs), has shown to be a promising avenue in addressing these issues. 59. In the context of its Response to the Sahel Crisis , UNODC seeks to promote interregional cooperation to address the linkages between illicit trafficking, organized crime and terrorism between countries in West Africa and North Africa, particularly in relation to the flow of illicit firearms from Libya following the political transition in that country. 60. UNODC has also embarked on a series of consultations with key national actors in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia to identify long-term needs and priorities, so as to ensure sustainable impact of its initiatives. In the framework of the Regional Programme for the Arab States, national cooperation programmes are being developed for Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, in consultation with key national actors and development partners. In March 2013, UNODC opened a Programme Office in Tunisia. 61. In Egypt and Libya, such consultations build on the ongoing cooperation in the areas of law enforcement, border control, prison reform and prison health, juvenile justice, terrorism prevention, as well as anti-corruption and money-laundering. These national cooperation programmes will constitute pivotal building blocks for regional and international cooperation, as well as lay out a long-term strategy in the areas of drug control and crime/terrorism prevention. Despite operational challenges in Libya and the continued political instability in the country, UNODC has upheld its presence in the country and, in coordination with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), continued its engagement with national authorities to provide support and explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation in line with national priorities in various areas, including drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and related organized crime. 14 V

15 62. Since 2007, UNODC has been implementing the regional project Promoting Good Practices and Networking for Reducing Demand for and Harm from Drugs, with a focus on Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan. The main six thematic areas of operation under this programme are: (i) community-based treatment using motivational interviewing; (ii) social reintegration and sustained recovery management; (iii) outreach approaches used in the area of drug demand reduction and reducing the negative health and social consequences of drug use; (iv) prison-based programmes for HIV and drug use prevention and care services; (v) life skills drug prevention in schools; and (vi) pharmacologically assisted drug treatment such as opioid-substitution treatment. The programme aims at empowering regional capacities to cover a wide spectrum of activities to reduce both the demand for and harm from drugs. This is achieved through expanding and adapting successful national best practice models at the regional level by promoting networking among local NGOs and with best practice centres of the European Community for each thematic area. In this context, UNODC has been providing technical assistance to Morocco to introduce an opiate substitution therapy programme since In the framework of the Regional Programme for the Arab States, several countries in North Africa have benefited from UNODC activities in the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC). Relying on strategic and solid partnerships with national law enforcement agencies in assisting Member States in their efforts to combat and prevent illicit drug trafficking and associated organized crime, UNODC aims to facilitate the institutionalization and use of existing expertise at both national and regional levels, mainly through the training-of-trainers programmes as well as the establishment of partnerships with existing training entities, such as the Emirates Institute for Citizenship, Residence and Ports and the Royal Police Academy of Bahrain. 64. In 2014, UNODC concluded a partnership agreement with the Forensic Evidence Department of Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters in the United Arab Emirates, which provides the strategic framework for technical cooperation and capacity development to further promote reliance of the criminal justice system on quality forensic evidence and practices. This partnership is also aimed at promoting the Abu Dhabi Forensic Evidence Department as a centre of excellence in the Middle East and North Africa to support and strengthen the availability of quality forensic services, in order to improve the detection of drugs and chemical precursors that are being trafficked throughout the region. 65. UNODC also continued to provide technical support to the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) based in Abu Dhabi. In addition, the NRC has become a partner to the joint UNODC-WHO programme on drug dependence treatment and care, aiming to expand the availability of evidence-based treatment practices in the region by establishing the NRC as a best practice centre on evidence-based drug demand reduction, with potential to train other countries on these evidence-based practices. As part of this collaboration, training activities based on the TreatNet training package have been extended to practitioners from countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Libya. V

16 VII. Conclusions and recommendations 66. On the basis of common and shared responsibility, countries in Africa should continue to take action against illicit drug trafficking and organized crime through balanced and comprehensive responses. The transnational dimension of drug trafficking and organized crime underlines the need to strengthen regional cooperation in this regard. The main areas for enhanced cooperation should include increasing information exchange within the region, tackling financial flows linked to drug trafficking, as well as preventing the diversion of precursor chemicals that are used to manufacture drugs. 67. In light of the foregoing, the meeting could consider the following: (a) Enhance collaboration and cooperation to prevent the diversion of chemical precursors as a key measure for reducing drug supply; (b) Continue to strengthen regional cooperation among law-enforcement and intelligence agencies to effectively combat drug trafficking and associated money-laundering; (c) Urgently consider creating national units to investigate and prosecute cross-border crimes, and in particular establishing or strengthening TOCUs in West and Eastern Africa, as well as foster regional cooperation among law-enforcement and intelligence agencies to effectively combat drug trafficking and associated money-laundering; (d) Continue to strengthen the timely exchange of information and best practices at the bilateral, regional and international levels, as well as strengthen joint operations and coordination, including in the area of preventive measures; (e) Consider developing a sustainable system of collecting and sharing valid and reliable data on drug trafficking, organized crime and drug abuse; (f) Further improve national capacity to investigate and prosecute major drug trafficking-related laundering schemes; (g) Develop information sharing mechanisms between law enforcement agencies working on reducing the supply of drugs, with government agencies and civil society organizations working on drug demand reduction; (h) Improve national and regional cooperation to manage the import and production of precursor chemicals, as well as prevent their diversion into the illicit economy; (i) Improve national and regional cooperation to reduce the illegal trade in wildlife products, stolen goods and smuggling of licit products, particularly where clear linkages exist between these trades and drug trafficking; (j) Promote regional cooperation in the area of border control, including at maritime ports of entry and remote sea borders; (k) Combine drug trafficking repression strategies with crime and violence prevention programmes, focusing on the local level and on the most vulnerable groups, including women, young people and migrants; 16 V

17 (l) Develop regional strategies to counter drug trafficking that envision the linkages with other forms of organized crime, such as trafficking of firearms and persons, for a better integrated response to the problem; (m) Promote a balanced approach to drug control, which also includes effective and sustainable drug demand reduction through prevention of drug use, drug-dependence treatment and rehabilitation; (n) Increase the investment in South-South cooperation programmes, with the view to strengthening national law enforcement in fragile and post-conflict countries and achieving sustainable results; (o) Emphasize, at the national level, the need to address the growing problems of drug trafficking, organized crime and drug abuse, and to strengthen political commitment including the allocation of adequate resources by Member States in this regard; (p) Call on UNODC to continue supporting countries undergoing political transitions in the field of criminal justice in general and the law enforcement sector in particular. V