Insights4Peace Webinar: Regional Cooperation in Responding to Transnational Organized Crime
Transnational organized crime has become a major driver of conflict and instability across Africa, exploiting porous borders, weak governance, and protracted crises. In regions such as the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Guinea, criminal networks involved in illicit trafficking and financial flows increasingly intersect with armed groups and violent extremists, undermining state authority, peace processes, and regional security.
Against this backdrop, the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) organized a webinar on October 30, 2026, within the framework of the African Union Network of Think Tanks for Peace (AU NeTT4Peace) Knowledge Series, under the theme “Regional Cooperation in Responding to Transnational Organized Crime.”
Recognizing that these threats extend beyond national borders, the webinar explores the links between transnational organized crime, conflict, and insecurity across Africa, with a particular focus on the importance of regional and cross-border cooperation. Bringing together experts and practitioners, the discussion assesses existing regional and continental frameworks, identifies gaps in current responses, and examines how intelligence sharing, joint operations, harmonized legal frameworks, and early warning mechanisms can be strengthened to support more coordinated and effective responses.
