Interdiction efforts adapt as drug trafficking in africa. This illicit activity reinforces and bolsters their financial strength. Thefwadtwouldbestructuredasa spaceforsharingexperiences. The most alarming thing about this new trend is that in most of these african countries drugtrafficking happens with the consent of those in government. This thesis determines the impact of drug trafficking in west africa on the national security interests of the united states.
Africa, between latitudes 12 and 17n and longitudes 11 and 18w. Driving the trade is the demand for commercial sexual exploitation. Report of the eastern and horn of africa conference on. It was prepared by management systems international and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of usaid or the u. May 30, 2012 according to reuters, cocaine moves through west africa while heroin transits through the eastern part of the continent. Drugs, the state and society in west africa west africa commission. Human trafficking effectively policeable in south africa. Drug trafficking in the region severely impedes economic development and undermines already weak states. Cocaine trafficking in western africa, october 2007 3 cocaine trafficking in western africa situation report october 2007 although cocaine is not produced in africa, the rapid increase in seizures suggests that the continent, and in particular its western region, is growing in importance as a transit area for cocaine trafficking between latin. That rough number bass 2004, 153 has been cited by unicef. African states ecowas and the united nations office on drugs and crime unodc. Several west african states are threatened by increasingly powerful transnational organised criminal networks. Jun 26, 2014 west africa needs the support of the international community not only to chase major traffickers but to fund services for treatment and harm reduction. Telling the story of drugs in west africa swansea university.
West africa is hub for international drug trafficking. Many countries are affected and the sudden death of the son of dadis camara generated many speculations about the possible involvement of drug dealers in the event. Although previously human trafficking was like something that was not taken seriously in south africa, it was there, it is just that people were not disclosing those illegal activities. In tanzania this fell to 56 per cent, in uganda to 34 per cent, and in burundi to 12 per cent. The role of west africa in cocaine trafficking from south america to europe might have decreased. Transnational organized crime in west africa united nations. Drug trafficking and threats to national and regional. Initiative to fight human trafficking interfaith dialogue held in cape town, south africa, on 35 october 2007. By analysing drugrelated incidents reported in the media in three key east african nations over the past decade, this paper provides insights into drug trafficking in the region. It remains unclear whether drug trafficking enabled the current conflict, but there can be little doubt that firearms trafficking did. West africas international drug trade stephen ellis abstract since the publication in 2007 of a report on west africas role in the illegal cocaine trade from latin america to europe, considerable media attention has focused on guineabissau in particular as. The crisis of drug trafficking in west africa is gaining attention, in the media and among.
Eg pahad, minister in the presidency of the republic of south africa, delivered at the global initiative to fight human trafficking interfaith dialogue held in cape town, south africa, on 35 october 2007. The conventional wisdom is that 200 000 children a year are trafficked in west africa alone. Interests though the majority of the drugs transiting west africa do not come to the united states, the proceeds flow to the same south american drugtrafficking organizations that traffic drugs to the united states. For south american cocaine traffickers, it stands midway between the andean producing countries and the european consumer market. Uchendu 2002 observed that the igbo country was one of the areas in west africa. Diverse signs of drug trafficking activity in west africa. The use of south african drug mules in crossborder smuggling by anjelee van heerden submitted in accordance with the requirements for the masters degree in the subject of criminology at the university of south africa supervisor. After the dissolution of the former soviet union, the area of the current 12 commonwealth of independent states cis became a widely used corridor for irregular migration and trafficking in human beings, both from within and outside the region. The scary part of all of this is that president kibakis alleged mistress and daughter are implicated to have been at the center of a drug trafficking ring. Africas relative peripheral status visavis the global trade in noncannabis illicit narcotic drugs appears, however, to be ending. It suggests that the concept of an ideological diaspora could shed light on a shared global popular culture, which constitutes a counter culture and rationalizes criminal activities.
Drug trafficking is a major transnational threat in africa that converges with other illicit activities ranging. Seventynine percent of all global trafficking is for sexual exploitation. World drug report traces trafficking across africa. Caribbean, the level of trafficking through west africa has increased to a quarter of europe.
A history of exploitation 2 contents page executive summary 3 1. It concludes with recommendations on how the region can respond humanely, effectively and preemptively to these problems. Introduction in less than one and a half decades west africa has become a major transit and repackaging hub for cocaine and heroin flowing from the latin american and asian producing areas to european markets. Middle east, asia and ushered in a new era for west africas criminal economy. Child trafficking is the latest form of slave trade and just like the slave trade of old. It was the europeans that opened africa up for gang slavery exporting large numbers of people to the west knight, 1996. West africa under attack unodc has been warning for some time that west africa is at risk of becoming an epicentre for drug trafficking and the crime and corruption associated with it. In most cases of human trafficking in africa, womens passports are taken away, causing them to lose the opportunity of approaching the authorities for help, as they would be deported back to their home countries, which is sometimes against the victims will as the very upsetting cause of them being trafficked is the urgency to earn money.
Nigeria officially the federal republic of nigeria, is a country in west africa, bordering niger in. Interdiction efforts adapt as drug trafficking in africa modernizes. Trafficking and its impact on west africa world bank documents. West africa newest market in global drug trade public. Boko haram has been implicated in cocaine and heroin smuggling across west africa. Lack of relevant legislation and needed administrative institution have continued to give traffickers and smugglers an unnecessary. A programming guide april 20 this report was made possible by the support of the american people through the u.
Trafficking is an emerging concern in west africa, gaining increasing attention from the international community. Understanding the nature and threats of drug trafficking. By doing this, it aims to broaden the evidence base of the scale and nature of the phenomenon. West africa is particularly susceptible to influence by transnational criminal organizations tcos due to endemic corruption, minimal border security, regional geographic location, and poor resource management. The elite presidential escort group was involved in the protection of armenian drug traffickers. Since the mid1990s, in central and west africa, trafficking in hard drugs has become a booming business, with increasingly serious side effects. The crisis of drug trafficking in west africa is gaining attention, in the media and among governments. Drug trafficking is an ever mounting international security problem. West africa needs the support of the international community not only to chase major traffickers but to fund services for treatment and harm reduction. Human trafficking in eastern africa research assessment. Understanding the heroin trade in eastern africa margarita dimova, senior teaching fellow, department of politicsdepartment of development studies, soas marg. Understanding the nature and threats of drug trafficking to.
Nigerian criminal groups are heavily involved in drug trafficking, shipping heroin from asian. Drug trafficking is a major transnational threat in africa that converges with other illicit activities ranging from money laundering to human trafficking and terrorism. The only good thing in all of this is that ktn has been able to air the truth, despite earlier attempts by the police to intimidate the two. Cocaine trafficking in western africa, october 2007 6 three reasons explain the importance of western africa as a transit point for cocaine trafficking to europe. Many of the nationstates in the region are empirically weak. West africa is hub for international drug trafficking world. International and regional responses to dt in west africa. Child trafficking in benin, west africa beyond intractability. Yet, scholarly work on the nature, characteristics and strength of these groups and how their activities threaten states remains sparse, leading to misunderstandings and inadequate appreciation of the precise nature of the threats they pose to west africa. Trafficking and fragility in west africa world bank. Crime and governance in west africa west africa offers many advantages for organized criminals. Not just in transit west africa commission on drugs. International and regional responses to drug trafficking in west africa a preliminary overview wacd background paper no.
Report of the eastern and horn of africa conference on human. An effort was made to involve many organisations with varied experiences on human trafficking and forced labour in the east and the horn of africa while borrowing heavily from those in west africa. Drug trafficking and threats to national and regional security in west africa 1. World drug report traces trafficking across africa africa times.
As soon as africa was initiated into the slave trade, the trade persisted. Latin american drug cartels are preying on west africa because countries of. The west african drug trade in context of the regions. Jun 23, 2017 world drug report traces trafficking across africa by at editor 23 june 2017 at 6. Deeply concerned by the growing threats of drug trafficking and consumption in west africa, kofi annan. Western africas missing fish overseas development institute. Drug trafficking and the threat to nigerias national. Hotspots of illegal drug activity have emerged in west africa and east africa, as well as in southern africa.
How drug trafficking undermines west africa open society. Mcguire abstract west africa is one of the most impoverished, underdeveloped, and instabilityprone regions in the world. West africa, like any other region in the world, has had to swallow its fair share of modernday political, economic and social dilemmas. In addition, drug trafficking organisations from china. Drug trafficking often complicates and extends armed conflicts by providing revenue needed to purchase weapons, corrupting law enforcement and military officers, and diverting. The emergence of significant drug trafficking routes in west africa, particularly of cocaine from latin america to european markets, has drawn a great deal of. West africa, despite international efforts to combat global drug trafficking, is a hot spot for smuggling cocaine and other narcotics into europe from latin america. The incident monitoring component of the enact project systematically records instances of transnational organised crime in africa.
A case study of ghana article in african affairs 104416. Iuu fishing and development in western africa impacts and opportunities. The article probes how the african diaspora and international travel service these emerging drug networks in ghana, west africa, europe and the americas. One phenomenon that has had huge negative implications on the political, economic and social spheres of almost every country on the face of the earth is the production, trafficking, marketing and consumption of illicit drugs. West africa needs to wake up to threat from drugs trade. Alarm bells are ringing about the volume of cocaine transiting the region roughly 50 tons a year, and its impact on the security of fragile states.
Human trafficking in eastern africa research assessment and baseline information in tanzania, kenya, uganda, and burundi cent of survey respondents agreed that people in their area know what human traffickingis. A new a policing understanding the heroin trade in. World drug report traces trafficking across africa by at editor 23 june 2017 at 6. Archived from the original pdf on 16 february 2008. Interests though the majority of the drugs transiting west africa do not come to the united states, the proceeds flow to the same south american drug trafficking organizations that traffic drugs to the united states.