The course was organised by the EU Regional Coordination Cell for the Sahel (RACC) in cooperation with EUCAP Sahel Niger (one of the two EU civilian security sector capacity building Missions deployed in the Sahel) and the Chadian police and gendarmerie.

The nineteen Chadian law enforcement officers attending the course in N’Djamena from August 23 to 25 included a woman from the Special Investigation Department and the Central Office against Drugs and Terrorism.

Topics of the course such as “routes and kinds of narcotics produced and trafficked worldwide”, “the routes followed by the drug dealers”, “the way drugs can be concealed”, and “the financial implications related to drug trafficking and smuggling” generated debates among the participants and the trainer.

Regarding the activity organised by the RACC in Chad, it is important to underline that the fight against organised crime, which includes drug trafficking, is one of the activities at the core of the G5 Sahel action. Enhancing these capacities among the security sector actors is also one of the main objectives of the EU Regional Coordination Cell for the Sahel (RACC).

Enhancing the skills of Sahelian security officers is crucial for the security of EU citizens, as organised crime is global, and the threats can only be faced effectively trough international cooperation and action.

Very importantly, the course seems to have made a positive difference in the professional career of the participants: “I have ten years of service in the Central Office for the fight against Drugs but thanks to this course today I acquired knowledge of the relevant Chadian legislation law relating to the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (Law 22 of 22 September 1995), I feel really proud”, explains Alphonsine Allahodoum, the only female participant, occupying a management position within the Central Office for Combating Drugs and Terrorism. “I would like for this very interesting training to be repeated, so thar other colleagues can benefit from it and together we can fight against a phenomenon which is destroying our youth,” added Alphonsine.

“The fight against drug trafficking is currently a cross-border and often even transcontinental problem that requires consideration at the international level to be effective.” Said Xavier Deville upon the closing of the course.

RACC’s Internal Security Advisor Cristian Baros, added: “Drug trafficking in the Sahel is a major source of revenue for organised crime groups involved in terrorism or other forms of serious crimes such as immigration from Africa to Europe, arms trafficking in the region or modern slavery in the gold mines”.