Illustration: Dominique Mwankumi pour GIJN
Guide
Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa
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This guide was written by Madeleine Ngeunga, Harun Maruf, Gideon Sarpong, Khadija Sharife, Elie Kaboré, Stephen Kafeero, Elza Sandrine Sawadogo, Will Fitzgibbon, as well as GIJN Afrique Editorial Assistant Aïssatou Fofana and GIJN Afrique editor Maxime Koami Domegni. It was edited by Maxime Koami Domegni, Aïssatou Fofana, Nikolia Apostolou, David E. Kaplan, Reed Richardson, and Alexa Van Sickle. Illustrations are by Dominque Mwankumi. Smaranda Tolosano coordinated the translations.
Click here to watch GIJN’s webinar on investigating organized crime in Africa, which was held on Dec. 8, 2022.
This guide was possible due to the invaluable support of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), an independent civil-society organization dedicated to seeking new and innovative strategies and responses to organized crime.
Chapters
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa — Introduction
In Mozambique, the discovery of large deposits of rubies and natural gas in 2017 was supposed to bring optimism to the cash-strapped country. Instead, it has only brought chaos. Years of corrupt officials looting resources, and of growing organized crime, have fed a radical Islamist insurgency, leading to increased instability, poverty, and human rights abuses. […]
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 1 — Environmental Crimes
Among the most pressing environmental challenges in Africa nowadays are land-grabbing due to infrastructure or agribusiness projects, water and river pollution, deforestation, desertification, trafficking of endangered species, and Indigenous peoples’ rights violations.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 2 — Terrorist and Militia Groups
Armed rebellions, coups, and civil wars have ravaged many parts of Africa for decades. Rebel leaders, warlords, and notorious figures wage wars against governments they felt disfranchised their supporters. In the last 15 years, violent, armed jihadist groups have joined this troubling picture.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 3 — Crimes on the Oceans
There are many types of crimes committed on the world’s oceans — money laundering, corruption, drug smuggling, and human trafficking, for example — but two of the most significant across Africa are maritime piracy and what experts call illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 4 — Arms Trafficking
In this guide to reporting on organized crime in Africa, investigative journlaist Khadija Sharife examines arms trafficking and weapons deals across the continent.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 5 — Natural Resources Theft
As part of GIJN’s guide to investigating organized crime in Africa, journalist Elie Kabore explores how to cover corruption and natural resources theft.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 6 — Drug Trafficking
In this guide to reporting on organized crime in Africa, Ugandan investigative reporter Stephen Kafeero looks at drug trafficking across the continent.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 7 — Financial Crimes
As part of GIJN’s new guide to investigating organized crime in Africa, this chapter focuses in on best practices for covering financial crimes and scandals.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 8 — Kleptocracies
As part of GIJN’s guide to investigating organized crime in Africa, OCCRP investigative reporter Khadija Sharife looks at kleptocratic regimes across the continent.
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Guide to Investigating Organized Crime in Africa: Chapter 9 — Other Crimes
The list of organized crimes tearing Africa apart is much longer than the chapters of this guide. Behind the horrific images of thousands of people perishing in the Mediterranean Sea, the deadliest migration route in the world, we must acknowledge, among other things, the action of criminal groups. Behind the drama of African girls and […]