News from Dakar, Senegal 🇸🇳
From 19-23 June 2023, the EU Global Illicit Flows Programme projects AIRCOP and SEACOP, implemented by UNODC and Expertise France respectively, organised a highly valuable exchange of best practices seminar.
The seminar brought together the local staff of Joint Airport Interdiction Task Force (JAITF) and Joint Maritime Control Unit (JMCU) to enhance their knowledge and coordination in combating illicit trafficking.
With the participation of 14 local JMCU and JAITF staff members, the seminar focused on various critical aspects, including the geopolitics of illicit trafficking with Africa as a transit zone, encompassing both air and maritime trafficking.
Discussions revolved around intelligence collection and sharing, vessel and container profiling, as well as air passenger and freight profiling. Certified experts from the World Customs Organization (WCO) facilitated these engaging discussions.
The seminar also provided an exceptional opportunity for the participants to conduct field visits at the port of Dakar and the airport, allowing them to gain operational experience and strengthen their practical understanding of the challenges involved.
The presence of Audrey ROCHARD, the West and Central Africa Coordinator of AIRCOP, and the Deputy Regional Coordinator of SEACOP Akizi-Egnim AKALA were welcomed at the event.
Building a strong network and fostering coordination among the participants were key objectives of the seminar. Detecting connections between illicit activities at sea, ports, and airports requires seamless collaboration, and this event laid the groundwork for improved cooperation among the teams.
The success of this seminar sets a positive precedent for future synergy activities in other countries. Similar events will be organised to continue strengthening knowledge sharing, enhancing coordination, and effectively combating illicit trafficking.
