(VIENNA) On 4 March the Director of GI-TOC Mark Shaw and the Director of the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP) Ambassador Thomas Greminger signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the partnership between the two Geneva-based organizations.

“We are navigating through turbulent times”, said Shaw, “and working with GCSP will help us to improve strategic anticipation, work together to understand and manage risks, and train leaders to deal with the challenges of change”.

Among the concrete areas of cooperation will be working together on strengthening analysis and policy related to the political economy of conflict, enhancing multilateral dialogue and cooperation on issues related to organized crime and drug control, cooperating on research related to organized crime and security policy, as well as carrying out training courses on how to identify risk and enhance resilience against transnational organized crime.

“The fact that our organizations are neighbors in Geneva and have similar concerns about the world situation should enable us to work closely together and take advantage of our respective strengths”, said Shaw.

“GSCP is happy to partner with the Global Initiative”, said Ambassador Greminger. “Organized crime is having an increasing impact on international peace, security and development and by teaming up with GI-TOC we will be in a stronger position to promote research, training and policy to understand and counter-act this threat”, he said.