EU rolls out €1.8m anti-money laundering project for Ghana, others
The European Union (EU) has launched a new project to step up its response to fight money laundering and drug trafficking in West Africa.
The EU named Ghana, Nigeria, Cape Verde and Senegal as the West African nations to benefit from the €1.8 million anti-money laundering project it is funding under the EU Instrument for Stability.
The project is part of the EU’s “Cocaine Route Programme” which is to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement and judicial services of the partner countries in the fight against international criminal networks, while fully respecting human rights.
The EU today March 18, 2013 said the “project will help law enforcement agencies to better investigate money laundering, and thereby fight organized crime.”
It adds that the project will also increase regional cooperation among the four countries which are part of the “Cocaine route” i.e. the route used by South American drug cartels to ship drugs into Europe.
“With this new project, we will provide training, technical support – to establish electronic databases or secure email for instance – to law enforcement agencies and foster cross-border exchanges among the public authorities,” said Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development.
According to the EU, in affected West African countries, the massive money laundering, generated by these illegal profits, destabilizes whole economies, threatening both their development and their stability.
By Ekow Quandzie
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