U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna
Vienna, Austria
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. funding to UNODC supports efforts to combat organized crime in Sierra Leone
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is pleased to announce a $425,000 contribution to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to support efforts to combat organized crime in Sierra Leone.
The United States values its relationship with Sierra Leone and enjoys a close partnership with UNODC. The United States is providing this contribution to UNODC to reinforce the effectiveness of the Sierra Leone Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) and strengthen the Sierra Leone Peacekeeping and Law Enforcement Academy (SILEA).
This initiative will promote intelligence-led policing and investigations, interdiction and seizures of illicit drugs, and the prosecution of transnational, organized crime cases. The project will also create and institutionalize a professional law enforcement curriculum at SILEA that integrates respect for human rights and the rule of law.
INL funded this project through appropriations made by Congress to the U.S. Department of State that support efforts in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking worldwide. These funds will help the government of Sierra Leone in building the capacity to investigate and prosecute transnational organized criminal groups.
More information on the UNODC and on initiatives to combat against transnational organized crime is available on the UNODC website at https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/organized-crime/intro.html.
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Please direct any inquiries to UNVIEpress@state.gov.