23/03/2022
Meeting, in Ecuador, to exchange regional and European experiences and combat maritime trafficking of illicit flows
Work meeting organised by the SEACOP V Project
In the framework of the SEACOP V project, a working table chaired by the EU Ambassador to Ecuador, Charles-Michel Geurts, was held to establish lines of work between Ecuador and other regional and European experiences.
The objective of SEACOP V is to support and strengthen the fight against maritime trafficking of illicit flows. To this end, work is underway to establish an “inter-agency” teamwork structure dedicated to maritime intelligence gathering. In coordination with the EU delegation in Ecuador, the working group has defined the guidelines for this global strategy against drug trafficking.
The meeting was an excellent opportunity to present the project’s capabilities and to review existing projects and programmes with similar objectives in the country. It has also allowed to strengthen ties and cooperation with the European authorities and to initiate talks to achieve a strategic alliance with the main private sector shipping companies, such as CMA-CMG and Maersk.
This scenario creates a great opportunity for joint operations between Ecuador, Colombia and European destination countries.
SEACOP V aims to provide support in the fight against illicit maritime trafficking and associated criminal networks in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, using an approach that respects human rights. It is a project funded by the European Union and implemented by the French cooperation agency, Expertise France, with the collaboration of the FIIAPP.
