The Ivory Coast strengthens its fight against irregular migration

The French-Spanish co-led NET COP project, financed by the European Union and with headquarters in Dakar, Senegal, was launched in March 2021. The project, run by FIIAPP and the Spanish National Police General Immigration and Borders department, seeks to tackle networks dedicated to irregular migration and trafficking in human beings in Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali and Niger.  

The project coordinates the Joint Operational Partnerships and Joint Investigation Teams in each country on a regional basis in order to create an information exchange network that focuses on the main programme objectives. The basis of its philosophy is the concept of partnership, association with countries and viewing the irregular migrant as a victim, ensuring that criminal networks and not migrants are targeted. 

As had been the case in other countries, the CIVIPOL project manager and the deputy project manager, the Chief Commissioner of the National Police from NET COP, went to the Ivory Coast to present the project. With the aim of collaborating with the country’s security forces, they met the Director of Territory Security and his unit for the fight against illegal trafficking of immigrants (ULTIM), as well as the Operational Director of the Unit for the fight Against Cross-Border Crime (UCT) and its working group that fights against trafficking in human beings (TEH). 

This project will also be implemented in Gambia, Mauritania and for the second time in Niger in order to conclude the design phase and initiate collaboration with the security forces through training and the exchange of experiences with specialists from the seven countries covered by the NET COP project.