There is increasing recognition that terrorists can benefit from organized crime, whether domestic or transnational, through trafficking in arms, persons, drugs, cultural property, the illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources such as oil, precious metals and minerals, as well as timber, charcoal, and wildlife, the abuse of legitimate commercial enterprise, non-profit organizations, external donations, crowdfunding and proceeds of criminal activity, including kidnapping for ransom, extortion, bank robbery, as well as transnational organized crime at sea.
Africa has been particularly vulnerable to these linkages with terrorist and organized crime groups, with terrorism and violent extremism financed by illicit trafficking and other forms of illicit activities continuing across different regions of Africa, threatening peace and security, furthering conflict and fragility, and undermining development efforts.
Addressing these interlinked and destabilizing challenges of terrorism and organized crime, which in many regions are significant threats to security and undermine development, presents an important opportunity to respond to the Secretary-General’s vision of alignment between peace and security, human rights, and development.
