Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA: Aug. 20 (EI) — The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) on Tuesday urged innovative law enforcement measures amid the ever-changing smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons across the East Africa region.
The East African bloc, IGAD, made the call in a statement on Tuesday that urged its member countries as well as other stakeholders to “promote and strengthen regional and national capacities to better predict, prevent and counter smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons,” which have become transnational security threats.
“Smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons are transnational security threats affecting citizens, communities and society and states negatively,” IGAD said, adding “criminals of smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons operate in a loosely connected and organized clandestine groups and individuals.”
It also stressed that as “the criminal modes remain ever changing and adapting to law enforcement responses that require innovative law enforcement measures.”
Noting human trafficking and smuggling as a “complex processes that involve different stages at origin, transit and destination,” IGAD stressed that in the region “smuggling often constitutes trafficking in some stages, particularly in borders, transits and sometime in destinations.”
IGAD, noting financial flows of the criminal networks to remain easily traceable to a large extent, also said that such financial flows of the criminal networks “can better serve as a source for effective investigations and further tracing of illicit proceeds of the criminal activities.”
The East African bloc, through its Security Sector Program (IGAD SSP), also supports the regional efforts in countering smuggling of migrants as well as human trafficking through trainings, mainly on investigating and prosecuting actors behind smuggling of migrants.
IGAD’s Security Sector Program is a comprehensive regional program that covers prevention and countering of transnational security threats including terrorism, transnational organized crime, and maritime insecurity.
The IGAD SSP, which is tasked to provide capacity building for the security sector institutions of the IGAD member countries, mainly aspires to promote and strengthen regional and national capacities to better predict, prevent and counter transnational security threats.
