19 Jul 2012

GENEVA / WEST AFRICA DRUGS

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit said the increasing transit of drugs through the region destined primarily for Europe is exacerbating the risks to West African nations, particularly Mali. CH UNTV

Posted at: July 19, 2012 12:35 pm

Duration: 02:30

Available in: SD

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STORY: GENEVA / WEST AFRICA DRUGS
TRT: 2.30 
SOURCE: CH UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 19 JULY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Palais

19 JULY 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. SOUNDBITE (French) Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa:  
"The traffickers  are taking advantage of the fact that the borders between the countries in West Africa are porous, the institutions are weak and, where they exist at all,  have very limited capacity, and so that's why this region is mounting in importance, an important part of the cocaine trafficked to Europe and other destination, passes through West Africa."
3. Close up, journalist listening  
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa:  
"The consumption of drugs is rising in West African countries. Unfortunately, because of the transit of the drugs, they are consumed locally. Often poor quality drugs are used to pay the traffickers, which results in encouraging their consumption, and is becoming a major public health problem in addition to the threat to governance and to security.  The problem increases the threat to security above all because the drug traffickers use the same transit routes as other groups of organized crime - the trafficking of people, of arms and of terrorism.  There are indications that there are connections between the different traffickers - especially the traffic of drugs and of terrorism." 
5. Med shot, two journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (French) Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa:  
"The challenge is posed by the presence of terrorist groups in northern Mali - these terrorist groups which seem to get more powerful day by day, due initially to the acquisition of arms following the Libyan crisis and by the arrived of a certain number of foreigners in the region, according to certain sources."
7. Close up, journalist with laptop
8. Wide shot, journalists listening

STORYLINE:

West Africa is facing a new wave of security challenges, according to the UN expert on the region.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva today (19 July), the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit said the increasing transit of drugs through the region destined primarily for Europe is exacerbating the risks to the security of nations in the region, particularly Mali.

He said the borders between countries in West Africa are already "porous", as many local institutions are weak and lacking in capacity to deal with the traffickers, making the region an attractive destination for drug trafficking as well as for organized crime.

The routes used by drug traffickers, he said, were also used for the trafficking of arms, which are supplying terrorist groups in the north of Mali.