A Project entitled “Strengthening the interdiction and investigation techniques of the Ethiopian law enforcement” Launched
(A press release by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Regional Office for Eastern Africa (ROEA), Project-Office-Ethiopia)
ADDIS ABABA- The Ministry of Federal Affairs of the Federal Democratic Government of Ethiopia and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Project Office-Ethiopia launch a capacity development project on the interdiction and investigation techniques for the Ethiopian law enforcement. The project has three strategic components to realize its objective” strengthening Ethiopia’s capacity to tackle illicit drug trafficking particularly through Bole International Airport at Addis Ababa.”
The Strategic components include (i) strengthening the collaboration between key government entities at the airport, i.e. the Federal Police, the Ethiopian Customs Authority and the Immigration and Nationality main Department; (ii) upgrading the specialized skills of front line staff of the concerned entities; and (iii) providing the government with a computer-based training programme duly adapted to local language and cultural requirements for general and front-line law enforcement officers. Further the project aims to accomplish relevant activities such as, specialised training for Interagency team, Enforcement advisory for Bole International Airport operations, staff awareness raising on the project ,and supporting essential equipments including Radio communication system, test kits, vehicle and others. for inter-agency response team to be composed of the Police – Counter-Narcotics Service at Bole International Airport, Customs Unit at Bole International Airport, Immigration Unit at Bole International Airport, and Federal Police University College.
The project is expected to strengthen drug law enforcement procedures applied by the mandated control agencies operating to clear arriving passengers and freight at Bole international airport; to upgrade the skills of front line law enforcement staff involved in the processing procedures for arriving and departing international passengers and freight at Bole international airport; and to strengthen interagency collaboration and operational effectiveness.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report of 2008, “the World drug problem is contained”, in the cultivation, production and consumption of almost every type of drug namely cocaine, heroin, cannabis and Amphetamine type stimulants, there are signs of over all stability. Among others efforts by governments and the United Nations to combat drug abuse and illicit trafficking are notable. However the report also indicated that these gains could rapidly come undone. Nor was the good news universal. Progress in some areas was offset by setbacks elsewhere. In Ethiopia, the problem of illicit drug trafficking through the Bole international air port is concern to the Government of Ethiopia and UNODC. It is also recognized that this situation is the direct result of among others a lack of adequately skilled personnel, appropriate expertise and equipment available to the Federal Police counter-Narcotics Service (CNS), the Ethiopian Customs Authority and the Immigration and Nationality Affairs main Department to counter the escalation of this problem.
According to the project document, this is a two years project (Dec, 2007-Nov 2009) with an overall budget of US $ 699,700 supported by the UNODC and partners.
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Contact:
1. Abraham Gebregiorgis Kahsay: National Project Manager
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Project Office-Ethiopia
Telephone: +251-115152680/82
E-mail: [email protected]