(Abuja, 27th October 2020) – ECOWAS announces the official virtual launch of the European Union support to Organized Crime for West Africa Region (OCWAR) projects, which will take place on the 30th October 2020 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom on-line platform; with the theme: COVID-19: Impact in the fight against Organised Crime in West Africa.

In the context of crisis management in West Africa, ECOWAS and the European Union have expressed willingness to jointly support the Regional Peace, Security and Stability programmes for West Africa. Some of the support has been directed towards addressing transnational organized crime through the following programmes:

• ORGANISED CRIME: WEST AFRICAN RESPONSE TO MONEY LAUNDERING AND THE FINANCING OF TERRORISM (Funded by the European Union)

• ORGANISED CRIME: WEST AFRICAN RESPONSE ON CYBERSECURITY AND FIGHT AGAINST CYBERCRIME (Funded by the European Union)

• ORGANISED CRIME: WEST AFRICAN RESPONSE TO TRAFFICKING (Funded by the European Union and German Federal Foreign Office)

The main beneficiaries are the fifteen (15) ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania.

The event is Chaired by H.E. Mrs Finda Koroma , Vice-President ECOWAS Commission and Co-Chaired by General Francis BÉHANZIN, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Dr Zouli BONKOUNGOU, ECOWAS Commissioner for Telecommunications and Information Technology; Dr. Siga Fatima JAGNE, ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender; Mr. Kimelabalou ABA, Director General, Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and H.E. Mr. Ketil KARLSEN, Head of European Union Delegation to Nigeria and to ECOWAS.

The virtual launch is intended to be a forum for discussion between the different stakeholders and will officially launch the three OCWAR projects, reiterate the commitment of all stakeholders to reduce transnational organized crime in West Africa; facilitate dialogue with partners on prospects for cooperation in the fight against organized crime in West Africa, and discuss the impact of COVID-19 on crime and criminal groups in the region.