Source of funds: 11th EDF (CRIS ref: 2017/040-389)
Decision date: 11/12/2017 (FA Signature date: 27/02/2018)
EU Contribution: 19,4 M EUR (+ 5 M EUR from Germany)
Implementation period: 2019 - 2023
Implementation modalities: PAGODA with EU MS Agency (GIZ)
Overall Objective:
This project will work towards accomplishment of RIP: Priority Area 1; Specific objective 2: Support for regional initiatives to address the main threats to peace, security and stability; contributing to: Component 1–Strengthening coordination and cooperation in security; and Component 4 – Implementation of programmes to deal with other specific threats facing the region.
Specific Objective:
The action specifically aims to improve national and regional framework conditions and structures for combatting trafficking in persons, drugs, firearms and other commodities as well as transnational organised crime and terrorism
Project Components:
Component 1 - enhance national capacities of criminal intelligence and investigation task forces to conduct complex investigations into TOC and trafficking and foster cooperation and contacts across the region in order to more effectively dismantle the structure of organised crime groups;
Component 2 - SALW Control
Specific Objective : to reduce illicit trafficking of small arms by strengthening regional and cross-border cooperation, improving national framework conditions, structures and capacities in the field of SALW control, and reducing the availability and proliferation of SALW at the community level with a focus on border communities
Component 3 - Prevention of TIP and protection of victims
Specific Objective: to strengthen the regional and national planning, coordination and monitoring capacities with regard to the implementation of the ECOWAS Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons in West Africa and foster regional dialogue and cooperation in the field of combatting TIP.
“Component 4 “Knowledge base, legal foundations and independent oversight mechanisms” combines a set of cross-cutting activities to enhance, facilitate and support the other components. It seeks to improve the knowledge base on root causes, extent and impact of TOC, to raise public trust and confidence in the LEAs and the criminal justice system (CJS) as well as to facilitate intergovernmental coordination of counter measures against TOC. To this end the component aims to foster regional and African-European research cooperation in order to provide a reliable knowledge base for planning, implementation and management of operations aimed at combatting organised crime. It further aims to facilitate efforts towards harmonisation of legal instruments in the ECOWAS region as a pre-condition for better cooperation in the fight against trafficking and TOC. A special focus of this component is on the establishment of an accountability framework. This framework will involve national human rights institutions and ombudsmen as well as CSOs relevant to the sector, in order to create an independent oversight mechanism. It will facilitate dialogue and regular consultation with LEAs and security partners regarding all measures implemented as part of the OCWAR-T programme
Expected results:
Regional and national capacities to launch sustained investigations and prosecute organized crime and illicit trafficking are strengthened
Regional and national capacities to reduce the circulation, transfer, and availability of illicit small arms and light weapons are strengthened.
Regional and national capacities to better prevent and combat TIP are strengthened.
The information base for informed decision-making in the fight against TOC and Trafficking is improved.
Status/ State of Play:
The project started 1st February, 2019 after a PaGoDA Delegation Agreement signed with GIZ.