Formulation of the Project “Prevention and Combat of Organised Crime and Drugs”

Detailed description of project Back

Organised crime and drug trafficking, as its principal activity, is undermining good governance, economic and social development and creating instability in Central America.In Nicaragua, it has not reached the crisis proportions that exist elsewhere in the region but in order to avoid a greater and uncontrollable security problem the threat of organised crime needs to be tackled pre-emptively. In 2010 the National Assembly approved the Law 735 for prevention, investigation and prosecution of organized crime and the administration of confiscated and abandoned property. The National Police is the institution responsible for leading efforts in the fight against organized crime, along with the Army. At regional level, Central American Integration System member countries have adopted the “Central American Security Strategy”.

The EU is supporting this process and has asked to formulate a project with the specific objective to support Nicaragua’s efforts to prevent and combat organised crime and drugs. The national capacity to tackle organised crime and drug supply and demand is to be strengthened resulting in better informed strategies to reduce vulnerability to organised crime, more closely coordinated and efficient interventions to combat drug supply and the prevention of organised crime penetration in security institutions and communities.

The project will aim at:

• Enhancing crime prevention and reduce vulnerability towards organised crime activities;
• Improving law enforcement capacity of national police, judicial system and other actors;
• Support law implementation, information and regional coordination.

Type of services provided

The expert team consists of three senior experts: Team Leader, an Expert in Organised Crime and a Drug Reduction Expert; the last one being contracted by PROMAN. Services include:

• Analysis of the security situation, with special emphasis on the area of fight against organised crime and drugs, taking into account the comprehensive and balanced EU approach on Security Sector Reform (SSR)as well as relevant international tools (such as the OECD Handbook on SSR);
• Design of a comprehensive and balanced action supporting the relevant Nicaraguan institutions, an assessment of the capacities, weaknesses and needs of all potential beneficiary institutions of the project;
• A detailed institutional assessment of the envisaged partners for the implementation of the project, in particular the National Police and AECID;
• Drafting of the Action Fiche and TAPs in accordance with the EU PPCM methodology.