Africa and the Global Illicit Economy

With the release of the new report: A Synthetic Age: The Evolution of Methamphetamine Markets in Eastern and Southern Africa - How do GI analysts research drugs?

And what happens when, despite the best efforts, prosecution of illicit actors fails?

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Guests:

Jason Eligh, Senior Expert at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Alastair Nelson, Senior Fellow at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Shamini Jayanathan, Senior Prosecution Advisor for the UNODC.

Additional Links:

A Synthetic Age: The Evolution of Methamphetamine Markets in Eastern and Southern Africa

Civil Society Observatory of Illicit Economies in Eastern and Southern Africa: Risk Bulletin - Issue 16

The Ivory Game, Netflix

Who is Abdul Hamid al-Dabaiba (Dbeibah), Libya’s transitional prime minister?

In this episode, we discuss political alliances, crime governance and the changing dynamics of Libya’s illicit economy under Dabaiba and the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Emadeddin Badi, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Rebecca Murray, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Jalel Harchaoui, Senior Fellow, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

In South Africa, methamphetamine usage and the networks that support them are at all all-time high. And the assassination of a South African police detective highlights the channels by which illegal weapons and firearm licenses are sold to criminals. 

And, new research from the Global Initiative reveals a tight-knit relationship between criminals and corrupt figures in Nairobi’s only dumpsite.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers:

Jason Eligh, Senior Expert, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane, Researcher, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Brian ‘Alaman’ James Omondi, Administrator of the Dandora Community Justice Center and head of their Life and Dignity Campaign. 

Producer: Alexandria Sahai-Williams

Reading

Civil Society Observatory of Illicit Economies in Eastern and Southern Africa

Risk Bulletin - Issue 15

Gun licenses for sale - South Africa's failing firearms control

For other podcasts from the GI click here.

A decade after the 2011 revolution that led to the end of long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s rule, unrest continues in Tunisia. In January citizens took to the streets to protest state repression, corruption, and poverty.

How has endemic corruption and uncertainty since 2011 contributed to Tunisia’s current environment? How will the country’s flailing economy impact irregular migration in the year to come?

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Guests:

Hiba Tlili, interpreter, researcher and social activist.

Matt Herbert, Research Manager for the North Africa and Sahel Observatory of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Dr. Dalia Ghanem - Algerian Political scientist and Resident scholar at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center.

Reading:

North African & the Sahel Observatory (NAS-Obs)

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Producer: Alexandria Sahai Williams

The end of 2020 gave way to monumental shifts in the landscape of illicit crime in Southern Africa. This week we discuss how violence in Nelson Mandela Bay, illicit gold mining in Zimbabwe, and the assassination of gangster Ernie Solomon are setting the stage for illicit crime in Southern Africa for the coming year.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers:

Rukshana Parker, Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Marcena Hunter, Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Mandy Wiener, Journalist, Broadcaster and Author

Producer: Alexandria Sahai-Williams

Reading

Civil Society Observatory of Illicit Economies in Eastern and Southern Africa

Risk Bulletin - Issue 14

Hit on a hitman – how the Ernest Solomon murder may affect two ‘unsolved’ underworld killings

Zimbabwe: Losing millions from illicit gold mining trade

For other podcasts from the GI click here.

Since the 2015 migrant crisis, restrictive measures, tougher policy interventions, and heightened securitization have become the hallmarks of border controls along the Mediterranean. Although it appears that these policy measures have had the desired effect, GI research reveals shifting dynamics and an interplay of cause and effect. In this episode, we investigate these dynamics and discuss them in the context of migrant pushbacks.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers:

Ali Zoubeidi, PhD in Public Law and Specialist in the Smuggling of Migrants in Morocco

Arezo Malakooti, Senior Fellow, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Katharina Natter,  Assistant Professor at the Institute of Political Science of Leiden University. 

Producer: Alexandria Sahai-Williams

Reading

Migration Trends Across the Mediterranean: Piecing Together the Shifting Dynamics

For other podcasts from the GI click here.

Recent research from the GI in “The Politics of Crime: Kenya’s Gang Phenomenon” uncovers the collusion between political elites and gangs in Kenya. This week’s episode places findings from this research in the context of unequal access to resources, extrajudicial killings, rapidly urbanizing spaces, and Kenya’s 2022 election.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers:

Simone Haysom, Senior Analyst, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Ken Opala, Senior Fellow, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

Wangui Kimari, Urban Anthropologist and the Participatory Action Research Co-ordinator for Mathare Social Justice Center. 

Producer: Alexandria Sahai-Williams

Reading

The Politics of Crime: Kenya's gang phenomenon

Mobile Money - Inside Kenya's Matatu Gangs (Full Documentary) 

Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

This week we examine the effect that punitive policy measures and stricter border security enacted by North African nations in the past 5 years have had on human trafficking in the region. 

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers:

Alexandre Bish, Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Arezo Malakooti, Senior Fellow, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Leïla Beratto, Journalist and who, in collaboration with the photographer Bachir, launched the project “Terminus Algérie” aimed at documenting migration in Algeria.  

Producer: Alexandria Sahai-Williams

Reading

The intersection of irregular migration and trafficking in West Africa and the Sahel 

Trafficking in Persons Report 2020: Algeria

This week we discuss how illicit heroin shipments discovered in East and Southern Africa have links to growing possible links to Afghan methamphetamine markets,  and the difficulties of tackling a surge in illegal gold mining amid deteriorating law-enforcement capacity, endemic corruption and community support for illegal miners in South Africa.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers

Ed Stoddard, freelance journalist

Jason Eligh, Senior Expert, Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime

Kgothatso Nhlengetwa, Founding director of Imbogodo Mining Services

Producer: Alexandria Sahai-Williams

Additional Reading

ESA Risk Bulletin 12 

https://theconversation.com/why-it-doesnt-make-sense-that-all-informal-mining-is-deemed-illegal-57237

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/apr/09/you-often-get-sick-deadly-toll-illegal-gold-mining-south-africa-durban-deep

https://www.africanmining.co.za/2019/04/18/small-scale-mining-opportunities-and-challenges/

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2019/09/30/long-read-the-unknown-unknowns-of-afghanistans-new-wave-of-methamphetamine-production/

This week, we’re in Libya where we’ll dive into the challenges of conducting security sector reform in an environment where organized crime is embedded into formal and informal power structures.

Presenter: Lindy Mtongana

Speakers:

Jalel Harchaoui, Research Fellow at the Clingendaely Institute in the Netherlands.

Emadeddin Badi, Senior Analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

Reading

ISS Today: Reform of Libya’s security sector must not fail again.

POLICY BRIEF: Less than the sum of its parts Europe’s fixation with Libyan border security, Matt Herbert

Clingendael REPORT, Security Sector Stabilisation and Development in Libya