Human Smuggling, Drug Trafficking & COVID-19 in North Africa & the Sahel

06/09/20 • 31 min

We start in North Africa and the Sahel where we will give you a comprehensive overview of some of the major illicit markets in the region, before in future episodes taking a more in depth look at the nuances within the illicit economy in Africa.

In this episode we will discuss the journey taken by human smugglers and migrants travelling through the Sahel region and how that has been impacted by COVID-19.

Before moving onto Libya, the departure point for many of those trying to get to Europe. Where COVID has combined with an ongoing war to make life even more difficult for migrants.

And finally, we'll look at the drug production and trafficking region of the Maghreb, on the doorstep of the European illicit drug market.

#AfricaTOC

Presenter

Lindy Mtongana

Guests

Alexandre Bish - Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Rebecca Murray, Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Mark Micallef, Director of the North Africa and Sahel Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Matt Herbet, Senior Analyst with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

GI's Risk Bulletin

In this episode we will discuss the journey taken by human smugglers and migrants travelling through the Sahel region and how that has been impacted by COVID-19.

Before moving onto Libya, the departure point for many of those trying to get to Europe. Where COVID has combined with an ongoing war to make life even more difficult for migrants.

And finally, we'll look at the drug production and trafficking region of the Maghreb, on the doorstep of the European illicit drug market.

#AfricaTOC

Presenter

Lindy Mtongana

Guests

Alexandre Bish - Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Rebecca Murray, Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Mark Micallef, Director of the North Africa and Sahel Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Matt Herbet, Senior Analyst with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

GI's Risk Bulletin

Next Episode

Unintended Consequences: Charcoal, Wine and Dhows

In this episode of Africa and the Global Illicit Economy we explore how developments in East and Southern Africa’s economy can lead to unintended consequences in the illicit economy.

This episode features an inside look at how the tension between demand for charcoal and bans on production has given rise to powerful dealers who strike predatory agreements with local communities in Northern Uganda, smugglers who hijack wine exports in South Africa's Western Cape, and how a small sailing vessel called a “dhow” has been co-opted for heroin smuggling throughout the Indian Ocean.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers

Rukshana Parker - Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Arthur Owor - Director Of Research and Operations - Centre for African Research-Northern Uganda Research Centre

Julia Stanyard - Analyst, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Producer: Alexandria Sahai Williams

Risk Bulletin