As part of the West African Customs Administrations Modernization (WACAM) Project, funded by Sweden, a Capacity Building Workshop on the planning of inter-agency enforcement operations was held in Conakry, Guinea, from 15 to 19 May 2017.

The thirty-three participants in this workshop were drawn from Customs, the Gendarmerie, Air and Border Police, the Central Drug Enforcement Bureau and the Ministry of Environment (responsible for CITES).  They were introduced to modern enforcement techniques relating, in particular, to intelligence, targeting, and risk-based selection of passengers, goods and means of transport. In addition, they were all introduced to the use of the WCO CENcomm – the tool which will provide secure communication between all the border agencies during the operational phase.  Pending the start of the operational phase, all the workshop participants have been registered on CENcomm for the test phase, enabling them to familiarize themselves with the tool and sign up other field operatives who will take part in the operation.

This inter-agency workshop to prepare for the pilot enforcement operation WACAM 1 provided an opportunity, in particular, to strengthen the ties between all of Guinea’s law enforcement services; this heralds the start of a new era of enhanced cooperation and pooling of efforts, and will undoubtedly contribute to the success of the forthcoming operation.

During the workshop General SANGARE, Director General of Customs of the Republic of Guinea, speaking in the presence of the national media (television, radio and print), highlighted the importance of WCO support for the development of his Administration, in particular through the WACAM Project, and urged participants to do everything they could to ensure the success of Operation WACAM 1 in Guinea.

For more information about this activity and about the WACAM Project in general, please contact WCO-Sweden Programme Director Richard Chopra (richard.chopra@wcoomd.org).