This week, Frontex together with
the European Commission and representatives from eight African countries
forming part of the Africa-Frontex Intelligence Community (AFIC) met in Dakar,
Senegal, to wrap up the European Union-funded project on “Strengthening of AFIC
as an instrument to fight serious cross-border crimes affecting Africa and the
EU”.
Launched in 2017 and funded by
the European Commission, the project aimed to enhance the capacity and
capability of AFIC countries to work jointly on identifying key threats impacting
border management in Africa.
After years of hard work and
despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Frontex has completed
its latest project and is proud to announce the handover of equipment to trained
border police analysts who are carrying out their tasks in the risk analysis
cells of eight AFIC countries: Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mauritania,
Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
The role of the cells, which are
run by local analysts trained by Frontex, is to collect and analyse data on
cross-border crime and support authorities involved in border management.
Frontex delivered a comprehensive
risk analysis solution that meets the needs of the eight African border
management authorities and enhances the safety and security of borders.
The handover of the equipment
marks the end of the project and the beginning of an intensive cooperation
between the AFIC countries. Frontex stays committed and ready to continue to
support the RACs by organising joint activities - such as workshops, trainings,
plenary meetings – together with the AFIC partner countries, aiming at further
developing AFIC risk analysis capacities.
The AFIC project in numbers:
- Establishment of eight risk analysis cells in Niger, Ghana, Gambia,
Senegal, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Togo and Mauritania;
- 14 training sessions for analysts from African countries;
- 10 regional workshops in Gambia, Ghana, Italy, Niger, Senegal,
Nigeria, Kenya, Poland and Ivory Coast;
- 17 joint analytical field visits in the EU and Africa.
About AFIC
The Africa-Frontex Intelligence
Community was launched in 2010 to promote regular exchanges on migrant
smuggling and other border security threats affecting African countries and the
EU. It brings together Frontex analysts with those of partner African border
authorities. A central element of the network are risk analysis cells, run by
local analysts trained by Frontex. There are currently eight cells operating in
Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.