ECOWAS partners UN agency to fight drug trafficking, with other crimes

The economic community of west African State (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Office on drugs and crime (UNODC) have signed a memorandum on commitment to effective and integrated implementation of the fight against illicit drug trafficking, related organized crime, corruption, terrorism and drug abuse in west Afica.

The agreement was sealed at the 71^st session of the united nations general assembly.

The letter of cooperation, which was signed by the ECOWAS President, Marcel de Souza, and Mr. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of UNODC on behalf of the two institutions, indicates that they would constantly evolve measures and programmes to check the crimes and develop economic and human development n the region.

This cooperation between the two organizations is coming when the development, peace and stability of west Africa are being threatened by transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, the laundering of criminal assets and terrorism, corruption, the laundering of criminal assets and terrorism financing, weakness in the criminal justice and drug abuse.