Observatory of Illicit Economies in West Africa (WEA-Obs)
Illicit hub mapping in West Africa 2025
A comprehensive mapping of 350 illicit hubs across West Africa and parts of Central Africa
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Global Organized Crime Index, AMA-Obs, APA-Obs, AR-Obs, CAM-Obs, CSA-Obs, EAS-Obs, ESA-Obs, EUR-Obs, HT-Obs, NAS-Obs, SA-Obs, SEE-Obs, WEA-Obs
The Global Organized Crime Index 2025
Crime at a crossroads
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WEA-Obs
Private military companies and arms control challenges
The Wagner group in Mali
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EAS-Obs
The Commanding Heights of the South Caucasus Underworld
An overview of the main criminal actors and illicit markets that serve them
Sanctions and organized crime, SEE-Obs
Beyond the blacklist
How effective are sanctions in the Western Balkans?
NAS-Obs
Human smuggling and trafficking in North Africa and the Sahel
2025 series
POLICY BRIEF
Unregulated fentanyl in North America: A trilateral perspective
Geocriminality, APA-Obs
Exporting fraud
China’s acquiescence to Myanmar’s military regime fuels ‘foreigner butchering’ scam epidemic
A network to counter networks
The Global Initiative comprises a network of over 600 independent global and regional experts working on human rights, democracy, governance, and development issues where organized crime has become increasingly pertinent.
More about the GI-TOCLatest Publications
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WEA-Obs
20 Oct 2025
Illicit hub mapping in West Africa 2025
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WEA-Obs
16 Oct 2025
Private military companies and arms control challenges: The Wagner group in Mali
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SA-Obs
15 Oct 2025
A proposal to fortify South Africa’s organized crime laws against enablers
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NAS-Obs
07 Oct 2025
Human smuggling and trafficking in North Africa and the Sahel 2025
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Eco-Solve, SA-Obs
02 Oct 2025
Losing ground: The growing illicit trade in South Africa’s ornamental plants
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HT-Obs
18 Sep 2025
From criminal governance to community fragmentation: Addressing Haiti’s escalating crisis
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SEE-Obs
11 Sep 2025
Integrity and independence of the judiciary and anti-corruption bodies in the Western Balkans
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Cities & Illicit Economies, SA-Obs
08 Sep 2025
Western Cape gang monitor – Issue 6
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Latinoamérica y el Caribe, North America Strategic Platform on Organized Crime
04 Sep 2025
Unregulated fentanyl in North America: A trilateral perspective
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WEA-Obs
29 Aug 2025
What do two recent incidents reveal about Guinea-Bissau’s cocaine politics?
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EAS-Obs
28 Aug 2025
High-level corruption and state capture in the South Caucasus
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SEE-Obs, WEA-Obs
25 Aug 2025
Under the radar: Western Balkans’ cocaine operations in West Africa
Upcoming and Past Events
View allInitiatives
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Initiative
Global Organized Crime Index
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Initiative
Resilience Fund
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Initiative
Eco-Solve
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Initiative
ENACT
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Initiative
IUU Fishing Index
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Initiative
UN-TOC Watch
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Initiative
JIED
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Initiative
IASOC
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observatory
ESA-Obs
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observatory
SEE-Obs
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observatory
NAS-Obs
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observatory
EAS-Obs
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observatory
APA-Obs
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observatory
WEA-Obs
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observatory
CAM-Obs
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observatory
CSA-Obs
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observatory
SA-Obs
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observatory
AR-Obs
Our network
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View Profile Sunil Casuba
Executive Masters of Global Development, Maxwell School, Syracuse University
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View Profile Carlos Charme
Specialist in Security and Justice, Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe
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View Profile Emilija Tudzarovska Gjorgjievska
University Lecturer in Contemporary European Politics, Charles University
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View Profile Phil Williams
Wesley W. Posvar Professor and Director of the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies at the University of Pittsburgh
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View Profile Tomslin Samme-Nlar
Research Director, Gefona Digital Foundation
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View Profile Dr. Joschka J. Proksik
Postdoctoral researcher, ETH Zurich
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View Profile Dr. Henrietta McNeill
Research Fellow (Pacific Security, Geopolitics, Regionalism); Australian National University
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View Profile Danielle Watson
Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology
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View Profile Curtis Bell
Director, Stable Seas