West Africa: organized crime & instability

 

So far, there’s been no systematic attempt to map out organized criminal networks in West Africa - or to assess how they fuel conflict and instability. Until now. We’ve outlined 280 illicit hubs in the region. These are places where organized crime and the illicit economy is thriving. From our research we can see how illegal goods are flowing between countries, the illegal trades that are booming in different locations, and how all this impacts on conflict. From arms trafficking and the illicit gold trade, to counterfeit medicine, the cocaine trade and kidnap for ransom - there are many different illicit economies embedded within rural areas, villages, towns, and cities across West Africa. Learn more and use the tool: https://wea.globalinitiative.net/