September 12, 2019

New updated version available in both French and English

June 27, 2019

Rapport sur la sécurité transnationaleVers une coopération transfrontalière : lutter contre les flux illicites

June 27, 2019

The Munich Security Conference, a key security convener of heads of state, released today in Abuja, Niger at the ECOWAS summit a new report with "renowned partners including the United Nations, the OECD, Interpol, and RHIPTO. The report features exclusive maps that showcase the convergence of terrorism and conflict with gold mining and smuggling in Trans-Saharan Africa and in Latin America.  Illicit annual exports from extractive industries in Africa account for at least USD 31 to 98 billion, compared to USD 32 to 62 billion from Latin America, with companies typically paying only 0 to 4 percent tax on official amounts.

May 13, 2019

The Sahel countries are witnessing for the first time in 70 years a series of successes in spite of security challenges: Over 32 million ha of drylands planted and restored, more than a thousand solar mini-grids built supplying electricity to oases and towns across the region and a mining sector on the rise supplying jobs and revenues. The regions positive development is however threatened by security threats, including from organized crime and terrorist groups, such as the rising spillover from Mali into Burkina Faso to extort gold miners. Continuing support to the Sahel region on development and security works and need to be strengthened further the report concludes. RHIPTO and African Centre for Climate and Sustainable Development produced the outlook with funding from UNDP.

September 25, 2018

At the opening of the UN General Assembly, a new report warns that the illegal exploitation and taxation of gold, oil and other natural resources is overtaking traditional sources of threat finance, such as kidnapping for ransom and drug trafficking, which fund terrorist and militant groups. The World Atlas of Illicit Flows, launched with the Governments of France and Norway and compiled by INTERPOL, RHIPTO and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, provides the first consolidated global overview of the significance of organized crime in conflicts and terrorism worldwide. 

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July 10, 2018

Today the UN Environment released a new report as a result of the gathering of environmental crime experts. RHIPTO was responsible for the final critical review of the report.  "The State of Knowledge of Crimes that have Serious Impacts on the Environment" was part of a larger consultative expert process involving experts nominated by governments, inter-governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. Environmental crimes undermine sustainable development and contribute to the acceleration of climate change, mainly through accelerated tropical deforestation. No less significant, such crimes undermine the rule of law, good governance, and fuel geopolitical conflicts.

November 21, 2017

A new UN report warns that illegal logging, illegal caviar trade, mass-killing of wild birds and poaching of bears, wolves and lynx threaten biodiversity and livelihoods in the Danube-Carpathian region stretching over 15 European countries.

May 23, 2017

May 24th, 2017, Oslo/Vienna:  The global criminal economy has flourished: growing four-fold over the last two decades, feeding off burgeoning markets for illicit commodities, narcotics, wildlife products, kidnapping, ransom and extortion, both virtual and real.  The profits – recently estimated between USD 6-22 trillion a year - have flowed to drug cartels, cyber-criminals, terrorist groups and to corrupt states.  The internet and the international financial system have been co-opted and are complicit in facilitating the interests of plutocratic elites at the expense of the rest of society; in furthering criminal commerce and extreme violence over social order and equitable development.  

January 09, 2020

Over 2,000 park rangers and game scouts have received training in crime scene management and tracking through Pasiansi Wildlife Training Institute, the Mweka College of African Wildlife Management - supported by the Tanzanian Government and external instructors . The report provides examples of success stories - and highlights and identifies smuggling routes of ivory, needs for support - and what type of training and equipment that is really needed at the frontline - in the voices of the rangers themselves.

January 21, 2020

RHIPTO cartographer Riccardo Pravettoni contributes with Graphics to the Global Atlas: Water Grabbing. Atlas was depicted also on Al Jazeera.

December 08, 2016

Environmental crime threatening peace and security, finds new INTERPOL-UN Environment report Washington DC, USA. More than 80 per cent of countries consider environmental crime a national priority, with the majority saying new and more sophisticated criminal activities increasingly threaten peace and security. 

November 30, 2016

Anti-poaching operations require well-trained trackers with ability to track, gather intel, conduct long-range patrols on foot, conduct safe arrests,  undertake proper crime scene management, secure evidence for prosecution - and ensure the safety of rangers.

September 19, 2016

New report reveals that harder traffickers benefit and effectively circumvent silver bullet “wall”-border policies, putting migrants and refugees at higher risk to human rights abuses. Failure to address the full smuggling chain can cause rise in and benefit hard core traffickers associated with non-state armed groups on the borders to North America and Europe. This results in push-back of moderate smugglers and promote traffickers, cartels and non-state armed groups, such as known from war on drugs. 

September 07, 2016

An estimated 45.8 million people live in modern slavery. The International Labour Organization estimates that global profits from forced labour surpass US$150 billion per annum, suggesting that slavery, forced labour and human trafficking are more profitable than the global arms trade. Today, non-state armed groups like Da’esh/Islamic State and Boko Haram actively promote slavery both as a means to finance themselves and as a method of war.

With the UN Security Council about to receive a report from the Secretary-General on Trafficking in Persons in Conflict, there is a unique opening for action on this issue. RHIPTO contributed to this new report, Fighting Human Trafficking in Conflict: 10 Ideas for Action by the United Nations Security Council, reviews the tools available to the UN Security Council and member states and suggests 10 ideas for action, providing concrete steps for the UN Security Council and its partners to take to sever the link between conflict and slavery.

June 03, 2016

Eco-crime hits record high at up to $258 billion, outstripping the illegal trade in small arms, as international criminal gangs and militant groups profit from the plunder of Earth's resources. The UNEP-INTERPOL Rapid Response report was lead by RHIPTO.

May 22, 2016

Environmental impacts responsible for almost one quarter of all deaths, highlighting need to place environment at heart of efforts to improve human health

Danger posed by air pollution, chemicals, microplastics, zoonotic diseases and other environmental threats to human health revealed in series of reports released at second United Nations Environment Assembly. RHIPTO staff co-edited report for UNEP.

May 27, 2016

RHIPTO supported this UN report with contents and graphics , reflecting a scientific analysis of wildlife crime. The report focusses on publicly available data and highlights the need to improve efforts to combat wildlife trafficking. The report provides a summary of literature and essentially depict the large gap between criminal intelligence and official statistics or research available. Both enforcement and criminal intelligence efforts are lacking behind - but also scientific research and monitoring need strengthening.

April 14, 2015

UNEP-MONUSCO-OSESG. 2015. Experts’ background report on illegal exploitation and trade in natural resources benefitting organized criminal groups and recommendations on MONUSCO’s role in fostering stability and peace in eastern DR Congo. The task force team was headed by RHIPTO and UNEPs Post-Conflict and disaster management Branch.

RHIPTO-Global Initiative Against Organized Crime. 2015. 

Libya - Criminal economies and terrorist financing in the Trans-Sahara.