Expanding police cooperation between the G5 Sahel states

Project description

Title: Programme to Build and Strengthen the Police Structures in Selected Partner Countries in Africa; G5 regional component
Commissioned by: German Federal Foreign Office
Country: G5 Sahel
Lead executing agency: Permanent Secretariat of G5 Sahel
Overall term: 2019 to 2022    

Context

Since 2009, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been promoting police reform processes in Africa on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office. The programme is currently implementing a total of eleven country measures and regional measures. All selected partner countries and regions show characteristics of fragile statehood to varying degrees.

The Sahel is greatly affected by transnational organised crime and terrorism. Weak state structures and migration movements exacerbate the situation, providing terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb or the ‘Islamic State’ (IS) with a suitable place of retreat and operating area. The region’s states and their police lack the personnel and equipment to assert the state monopoly for controlling all parts of their territory. Security for the population can thus be guaranteed to only a limited extent. 

In 2014, aiming to deal more effectively with regional threats to security, stabilise the region in the long term and establish a secure environment for the population, the heads of state of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger and established the regional organisation G5 Sahel. The focus in this context is on ensuring close cooperation between border police units, increasing the exchange of information between police and improving police training.

Objective

The police authorities of the G5 Sahel member states work together across national borders to collectively deal with regional threats to security and assert the state monopoly on the use of power.

Approach

The project supports the national police authorities of the G5 Sahel member states and the Permanent Secretariat of the G5 Sahel in promoting cross-border police cooperation. With a view to improving police training, it aims to develop and implement relevant training and professional development modules based on international standards. To increase the proportion of women in the police, the project is working with the national police authorities to draw up a gender action plan. In addition, the project is using the Platform for Security Cooperation (PCMS) to support cooperation between border police units.

Result

The project holds regular coordination meetings between national border police units and PSC. These meetings give rise to networking and a regular exchange of experience between the institutions, which in turn improves their cooperation. A joint plan of action for strengthening police cooperation has been approved and is currently being implemented.

Joint workshops help to strengthen trust between the police and the general public. This is a key prerequisite for police work, especially in remote border regions. 

Latest update: November 2020