On 14-18 October 2013 in Accra, Ghana, UNODC, in partnership with the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons of the Republic of Ghana (NACSA) and INTERPOL, organized a training course on investigation and prosecution of firearms trafficking.
The specific goals of the training were to reinforce and build upon past experiences in firearms investigations; to gain new knowledge and skill relating to investigating and prosecuting trafficking in firearms; and to learn how to exchange information on trans-national firearms investigations.
The course provided to twenty nine Ghanaian criminal justice practitioners a well-founded background in the core skills required to investigate trafficking in firearms and other firearms related offences. The training focused on preparing practitioners with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and abilities needed to conduct investigations, trace firearms, engage in multilateral cooperation and prepare cases for successful prosecution. Participants learned methods and practical skills that they take back into their workplaces to employ and share. Representatives of the civil society organizations participated as observers in the course.
The course was developed within the framework of the UNODC Global Programme on Firearms (GPF). The training event is part of the UNODC and NACSA strategy to provide sustainable technical assistance for enhancing national capacity to counter the trafficking in firearms and support law enforcement agencies in their fight against transnational organized crime.
The training course was funded by the European Commission under the Instrument for Stability.
