The article outlines findings from the ENACT Africa Organised Crime Index 2023, highlighting rising illicit activity and growing vulnerabilities across Africa. It emphasizes that Guinea-Bissau has become a key hub for arms and cocaine trafficking, acting both as a source and transit country. Light weapons — often concentrated in the capital and border areas — flow through Guinea-Bissau into conflict zones in the Sahel and West Africa. Meanwhile, the country serves as a major transshipment point for South American cocaine destined for European markets. These illicit flows empower criminal and extremist groups, weaken institutional capacity, and increase the risk of violence and instability. The article warns of the urgent need for improved regional coordination and strengthened state resilience to tackle organized crime.

Governance, Security, Vulnerability, Institution, Trafic de drogue

The Crisis Group report (No. 267, 13 December 2018) examines how drug trafficking, especially cocaine and cannabis, intensifies violence in northern Mali. It outlines a “highly competitive” criminal landscape dominated by Tuareg armed groups and jihadists vying for control of illicit trade routes . The weakened Malian state struggles to assert authority, enabling shifting alliances among traffickers, local militias, and politico-military groups. The intertwining of narcotics trafficking and political stakes further destabilizes governance and fuels insecurity. The report recommends strengthening the rule of law, combating corruption, enhancing regional coordination, and launching economic development programs to provide alternatives for local communities.

Politics, Governance, Violence, Illegal activity, Trafic de drogue