Midrand, 09-10 October 2024. The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Continental Secretariat, under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer Amb. Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, hosted a successful Youth Workshop on Illicit Trade and Trafficking and its Impact on the AfCFTA, Peace, and Security in Southern Africa. The two-day workshop was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Independent Continental Youth Advisory Council on AfCFTA (ICOYACA).
The workshop brought together youth from ten Southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as representatives from various universities and institutions in the Gauteng province, South Africa. Participants engaged in thoughtful discussions on the challenges posed by illicit trade, crime, and corruption, and their implications for continental trade, peace, and security.
In her opening remarks, Amb. Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre warmly welcomed attendees, including Amb. David Claude Pierre, Head of the African Union Southern African Regional Office; Amb. Murilo Vieira Komniski, Deputy Head of Mission from the Brazilian Embassy in South Africa; Ms. Monica Belalcazar, Regional Advisor for Africa on Youth Engagement, UNODC; Ms. Sebolaisi Pheeha, Head of Office and Executive Deputy Chairperson of the National Youth Development Agency Board of South Africa, as well as members of various Southern African youth formations and the African diaspora connecting online.
Amb. Quatre elaborated on the workshop’s objectives, which include: educating youth on the concepts of illegal, illicit, and informal trade, trafficking, and their impact on peace, security, and economic disparities in Southern Africa; equipping youth with the necessary tools and skills to advocate for policies combating corruption and illicit trade; encouraging partnerships among groups to address trade-related challenges; and grooming young champions, facilitators, and organizers who can implement and adapt this knowledge within their local communities.
Highlighting the significance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Amb. Quatre emphasized its potential to accelerate regional trade, political integration, foreign direct investment, and economic growth, ultimately leading to job creation and greater prosperity for the African population.
Ms. Monica Belalcazar from UNODC expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership among UNODC, ICOYACA, and APRM, describing the workshop as a realization of a long-held aspiration. She noted that the gathering of skilled and motivated young people from ten Southern African countries marks the beginning of many initiatives aimed at raising awareness and combatting illicit trade, organized crime, corruption, and money laundering within their communities.
Amb. David Claude Pierre remarked that the Youth Workshop on Illicit Trade and Trafficking provides an invaluable opportunity to mobilize young people for meaningful contributions to the African economy.
Amb. Murilo Vieira Komniski noted Brazil’s role as both a consumer and transit zone for illicit trafficking, emphasizing that the issue of drugs extends beyond Brazil and affects nations worldwide.
In her closing remarks, Amb. Rose Quatre expressed her sincere gratitude to all partners, youth participants, and support staff for their invaluable contributions. She also invited the youth to participate in the upcoming APRM Youth Symposium, scheduled to take place alongside the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government in February 2025.
