Side event, 12th Session of the Conference of the Parties to UNTOC: Unravelling the ties linking European and African organised criminal groups

Links between European and African criminal groups, their modus operandi and the illicit markets they operate affect national and regional security.

Date: 2024-10-16

Time: 12:00 to 12:50

Venue: Vienna International Centre, Room M7

The impact of foreign criminal actors in Africa has increased steadily since 2019. Vast and porous borders, systemic corruption, abundant natural resources, and low use of the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) and extradition treaties make Africa attractive to foreign criminal enterprises. And foreign criminal actors are drawn to Europe’s well-integrated international trade flows.

The side-event provides the latest information on links between European and African criminal groups and actors, their operations and illicit markets. The event will highlight the consequences for national and regional security and discuss strategies to dismantle these activities, including through enhanced implementation of the UNTOC.

This event is co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), INTERPOL and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC).

Moderator: Anabella Corridoni, Analytical Coordinator, INTERPOL

Opening remarks: EU representative

Panelists:

Nathalia Durkhan, Director, Central Africa Observatory, GI-TOC
Zobel Behalal, Senior Analyst, GI-TOC
Yann le Cloarec, Criminal Intelligence Analyst, INTERPOL
Dr Willis Okumu, ENACT Senior Researcher, East Africa Regional Organised Crime Observatory, ISS