Ethiopia Police urge global leaders to address threat of Cross-Border Crime

In a stark warning delivered during the opening session of the Prosecution and Law Enforcement Dialogue and Roundtable in Addis Ababa today, Federal Police Deputy Commissioner General Zelalem Mengistie highlighted the burgeoning threat posed by cross-border crime, branding it a serious problem that imperils the global peace and security landscape.

Mengistie emphasized that the intensifying destabilization caused by cross-border crime is not only a national concern but a global phenomenon, fueled by the ever-shrinking distances between states due to technological and communication advancements.

These advancements, while opening new frontiers for economic, political, and social interactions, have inadvertently provided opportunities for criminal organizations to engage in illegitimate activities, such as human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants.

“Living in an era of globalization has exposed us to unprecedented challenges, with criminal entities exploiting these advancements for their gains,” Mengistie remarked.

He lamented the plight of countless individuals suffering at the hands of traffickers and smugglers, who prioritize profit over the safety and well-being of those they exploit.

The deputy commissioner general went on to underscore the alarming consequences faced by migrants, including extortion, torture, detention for ransom, sexual violence, forced labor, and domestic servitude.

To combat the criminal networks involved in human trafficking and migrant smuggling, Mengistie revealed that the Regional Operational Center in support of the Khartoum process and the African Union (AU) Horn of Africa Initiative (ROCK), along with the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa of the European Union, have played a pivotal role in funding initiatives aimed at addressing this pressing issue.

ROCK, a project funded by the European Union, is dedicated to combating criminal networks involved in human trafficking and migrant smuggling, with a focus on mitigating the dangers and often fatal consequences faced by migrants at the hands of smugglers.