From 3 to 7 October 2022, GIFP component COLIBRI organised an in-person training on monitoring and controlling General Aviation (GA) in Accra, Ghana. A total of 51 officials from Ghana and The Gambia participated in this week-long training.
The opening ceremony on 3 October was attended by the Deputy Commissioner of Operations from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the chief of the Narcotics Control Office, and the Head of Governance and Civil Society from the EU Delegation to Ghana, Mrs. Anna Lixi.
The 13th training course on the control and monitoring of General Aviation was conducted by three expert-trainers coming from Customs Brazil, the Spanish Guardia Civil, and the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA). The experts guided the participants on many subjects, and examined human rights in enforcement actions; the international regulatory framework; smuggling cases; the intelligence process; insider threats and control measures; flight investigation, among others. Furthermore, theoretical and practical exercises took place throughout the week. On 6 October, the Ghana Air Force facilitated access to its Headquarters and provided a Cessna aircraft for participants to carry out a practical exercise as well as technical support for the smooth implementation of said activity.
With this training, COLIBRI finalised its capacity-building activities aimed at strengthening law enforcement and relevant agencies’ capacities to control General Aviation in Latin America and the Caribbean, and West and Central Africa. Overall, COLIBRI delivered this training in 15 countries, and to 250 officials in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 229 officials from West and Central Africa.
