Terrorism and Organised Crime Cluster: AHSI1

 

Terrorism

African leaders have condemned and rejected impunity and political assassination, acts of terrorism and subversive activities. Elsewhere they argue that all forms of extremism and intolerance foster instability.

African leaders have committed themselves to effective and efficient international co-operation through the speedy conclusion of a Global International Convention for the Prevention and Control of Terrorism in all its forms and the convening of an International Summit Conference under the auspices of the UN to consider this and the means to combat it.

Leaders have undertaken to review their national laws and establish criminal offences for terrorist acts as defined in the OAU Convention on Terrorism and to make such acts punishable by appropriate penalties. African countries will sign, ratify and accede, as a matter of priority, to the following, including the enactment of national legislation:

• Tokyo Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft of 1963; Montreal Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 1971 and the Protocol thereto of 1984; New York Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents of 1973; International Convention against the Taking of Hostages of 1979; Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material of 1979; United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982; Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 1988; Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms located on the Continental Shelf of 1988; Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Maritime Navigation of 1988; Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives of 1991; International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Explosive Bombs of 1997; and Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction of 1997.

African Heads of State agreed that states will refrain from any acts aimed at organising, supporting, financing, committing or inciting to commit terrorist acts, or providing havens for terrorists, directly or indirectly, including the provision of weapons and their stockpiling in their countries and the issuing of visas and travel documents.

Leaders agreed to take any legitimate measures to prevent their territories from being used as a base for the planning, organisation or execution of terrorist acts or for the participation or collaboration in terrorist acts in any form, promote co-operation amongst themselves and help one another with investigations and arrests, in conformity with the national law of each state. Other measures include the following:

• To develop and strengthen methods of monitoring and detecting plans of activities aimed at the illegal cross-border transportation, importation, export, stockpiling and use of arms, ammunition and explosives and other materials and means of committing terrorist acts.
• Develop and strengthen methods of controlling and monitoring land, sea and air borders and customs and immigration check-points in order to pre-empt any infiltration by individuals or groups involved in the planning, organisation and execution of terrorist acts.
• Strengthen the protection and security of persons, diplomatic and consular missions, premises of regional and international organisations accredited to a state party, in accordance with the relevant conventions and rules of international law.
• Promote the exchange of information and expertise on terrorist acts and establish databases for the collection and analysis of information and data on terrorist elements, groups, movements and organisations in conformation of the OAU Convention and national legislation. States will exchange information regarding: the acts and crimes committed by terrorist groups, their leaders and elements, their headquarters and training camps, their means and sources of funding and acquisition of arms, the types of arms, ammunition and explosives used, and other means in their possession; their communication and propaganda methods and techniques, their behaviour, movement and travel documents. Such information may involve information leading to the possible arrest of suspects involved or an accomplice or instigator in terrorism, the seizure and confiscation of arms, ammunition, explosives, devices or funds intended or used for terrorism. Information provided must be treated in confidence and not provided to other states without the prior consent of the state from where such information originated. Countries also agreed to exchange studies, research and conduct joint training courses.
• Take all necessary measures to prevent the establishment of terrorist support networks in any form whatsoever.
• Ascertain, when granting asylum, that the asylum seeker is not involved in any terrorist act.
• Investigate, arrest, try without undue delay or extradite the perpetrators of terrorist acts in accordance with national legislation.
• Establish effective co-operation between relevant domestic security officials and services and the citizens of the states parties in a bid to enhance public awareness of terrorism and encourage the provision of information.
• The national governments of terrorist suspects must be informed once action is taken.

 

 

Drugs

Leaders agreed to a Plan of Action covering the period 1997 to 2001 aimed at eradicating drug abuse and illicit trafficking that includes the following:

• Ensuring coherence in drug control actions at national, regional and continental levels and enhancing co-operation among countries sharing the same problems.
• Setting up appropriate institutions to address illicit drug trafficking and illicit drug demand in a balanced, integrated and timely manner. Drug control activities would be actively integrated into national policies. National administrations or focal points for drug control will be established or strengthened, as will inter-ministerial committees. Adequate resources, including adequate equipment, would be allocated for drug control activities. The development, adoption and regular review of administrative and regulatory mechanisms for the prevention of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
• Drug demand reduction programmes that are integrated into the national health and social policy and providing, where not available, infrastructures for the treatment of drug addicts and their social integration. The promotion of regulated drug distribution channels and preventive education through mass education campaigns and inclusion of relevant material into school curricula. Facilities that detect drug addition at an early stage and provide for the treatment and social reintegration of drug addicts must be introduced. Communities and NGOs must be mobilised to assist with drug demand reduction.
• A commitment to devote sufficient resources to assess the supply and demand drug problem, including the introduction of mechanisms for the collection and analysis of information and ability to adequately report to international organisations. This data will include drug seizures, nature, extent and trends of drug abuse, illicit trafficking and the profiles of illicit drug traffickers.
• Adoption of the relevant international drug conventions and legal instruments.
• The development of human resources to build national agencies that are staffed by competent, committed and motivated staff. To this end drug law enforcement officers will be trained to detect and interdict illicit drug trafficking using up-to-date techniques where possible, while personnel for drug demand reduction programmes will be trained in all aspects of drug demand reduction, while recognising the need for specialisation. The judiciary must be offered training on the laws specific to the control of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and their capacity to deal effectively with cases of illicit drug trafficking improved. Regular, in-service training will be provided to personnel to update their skills and knowledge and to allow for exchange of experience. An adequate number of personnel will be employed in drug law enforcement agencies to provide full time security coverage of ports, land borders and post offices, and to enforce drug laws through arrests, prosecution of suspects and imposition of appropriate penal sanctions.
• Periodic evaluation of programmes.
• Governments agreed to make adequate budgetary allocations for controlling narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. National governments, regional economic communities and the OAU agreed to examine existing external sources of funding, but the RECs and the OAU would play the catalytic role.

Leaders agreed to identify priority actions for Governments, to develop co-operation among countries on these priorities, to mobilise the community and NGOs, etc.

To give effect to the Plan of Action, leaders agreed that the OAU should formally enlarge its mandate to include consideration of drug control activities and establish a focal point at the Secretariat for the co-ordination and monitoring of drug control activities at the continental level. The focal point will be responsible to prepare and present annual reports of the current drug situation on the continent to the OAU meetings of the Foreign Affairs’, Ministers and Heads of State and Government. The focal point would also review and recommend changes to the Plan of Action. The OAU secretariat will maintain an inventory of African experts in the field of drug control, collate information on institutions that provide relevant training in drug control, disseminate such information to Member States, promote the exchange of experts, organise seminars/workshops to update skills, facilitate the exchange of information to interdict illicit trafficking, establish a forum for consultations by experts on drug demand reduction programs, using its facilities to promote international cooperation in the field of drug control.

The Secretariat of the OAU was tasked to monitor the implementation of the Plan of Action and to report to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, including proposals for improvement.