Consultant (Research Analyst on organized crime in the Sahel)

Result of Service The purpose of the assignment is to develop a structured research paper that will build on existing literature and knowledge on organized crime in the Sahel, including structure and types of organized crime groups, and on the draft chapters exploring seven illicit markets in the Sahel: illicit trafficking of medical products, fuel, drugs, gold and firearms and on smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. The overall objective is to better assess the structure and composition of organized crime groups in the Sahel, the different trafficking routes used and the connection with armed and other groups in the region as well as exploring linkages with other countries (e.g. coastal countries in West and North Africa). The paper will also aim at improving the implementation of international development and security policies in the Sahel.

A. Annotated outline of the chapter based on a review of the draft chapters and other available data and literature. B. A written analytical chapter based on organized crime in the Sahel comprised of 10,000-15,000 words, with a mapping of the main organized crime groups involved and their relationship with different illicit markets and other criminal groups/armed groups, if any.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 30 days

Duties and Responsibilities To enhance policy responses against illicit trafficking activities and improve justice and stability in the Sahel, the UNODC-ROSEN Office is implementing the Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment (TOCTA) Sahel research project. The TOCTA Sahel research project aims to fill a vital knowledge gap about trafficking in the Sahel (e.g. scale, flows, actors, routes, modi operandi, links with other forms of crime, impact and challenges and policy implications), as well as to disseminate findings and promote operational recommendations to relevant national authorities of the G5 Sahel countries, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso. UNODC has so far developed draft reports analyzing seven different illicit markets in the Sahel on illicit trafficking of medical products, fuel, drugs, gold and firearms, and on smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. These reports, as well as two overarching papers focusing on organized crime in the Sahel and on the impact of organized crime on stability and development will be published by the end of 2022.

The project builds on the 2008 and 2013 UNODC TOCTA for West Africa which include analysis on several of the markets included in the current TOCTA. It will also draw on UNODC’s past research on the financing of terrorism, drug trafficking, the links between terrorist organizations and trafficking, as well as the knowledge gained through UNDOC’s operational projects on the ground

The present TOCTA will focus on the five G5 Sahel countries to: (1) achieve a detailed understanding on crime and criminal networks in the region; (2) use this knowledge to improve national and regional policy making; and (3) increase the impact of actions of G5 Sahel countries and international actors against transnational organized crime. Indeed, TOCTA’s proven methodology looks at enabling factors, including corruption, that allows trafficking to occur, as well as its relationship with conflict, social instability, other forms of criminality on the ground.

The Sahel represents a strategic transit area for illicit markets, with impacts, linkages and nexus with other regions and trans-continental flows. For example, within the region, fuel is trafficked to produce income, but it is also used for operational purposes (i.e armed groups need fuel for their operations). There are also reports that fuel trafficking in the region may be linked to other forms of crimes, including drug trafficking, trafficking in persons and terrorism. There is relatively little information on the routes used by organized crime groups to traffic different commodities, such as firearms and fuel (North Africa – Sahel route, Nigeria – Sahel route, Sahelian market) and their interactions with other actors. An in-depth analysis of organized crime groups and illicit markets is key to better understand criminal trends in the Sahel.

The research would aim at answering to the following questions:

Illicit markets and organized crime groups. - What is the nature of organized crime groups in the Sahel (structure, types of organized crime groups, composition, links with other groups, etc.)? - How much of the market is organized? - How do groups become involved in different illicit markets and what kind of modi operandi do they use? - What are the state structures and existing responses to such organized crime groups?

The perpetrators - Who are the actors involved in organized crime groups covered (e.g. age, gender, nationality, ethnicity, level of education, criminal history, relationship with transnational criminal groups, etc)? - What motivates involvement of perpetrators in organized crime? - How were they recruited? What is the connection, if any, of perpetrators with armed groups operating in the region?

Enablers - How do organized criminal groups facilitate their activities (corruption, cybercrime, obstruction of justice and violence)?

Policy implications - What are the implications on stability and development in the region, in conflict and fragile areas, and their connections with organized crime? - Based on evidence/good practices or lessons learnt, how can national authorities more effectively prevent and combat organized crime in conflict and fragile areas? - Based on evidence/good practices or lessons learnt, how can policy efforts be further advanced to promote resilience and effective responses to such challenges in conflict and fragile areas?

Under the supervision of the Research and Trend Analysis Branch (UNODC/RAB) with support from the Head of the Research and Awareness Section of UNODC-ROSEN and in close cooperation with assigned staff of the Research and Trend Analysis Branch, the consultant will undertake the following activities:

Guided by the aforementioned research questions, develop a chapter on organized crime in the Sahel based on: - In-depth analysis of organized crime groups in the Sahel, their activities, their structure and modus operandi, etc., based on the aforementioned drafts exploring seven illicit markets in the Sahel. - Review of available UNODC data and experiences, including within other regions. - Consolidated review of existing data/information, including from published literature and other reports pertaining to organized crime in the Sahel.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: - An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international relations, sociology, economics, criminology, statistics, social sciences or related field is required. A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. - PhD in conflict studies, criminology or related field is desirable. Experience: - A minimum of 7 years of experience applicable to the assignment including in-depth knowledge of methodologies to analyse illegal markets and related organized crime is required. - Experience in comparative research and analysis of data is required. - Demonstrated skills in scientific research, including review of literature is required. - Experience in crime research in West Africa and the Sahel is desirable. - Experience producing organized crime threat assessments and analytical publications is desirable. Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations Secretariat language is an advantage. Knowledge of French and/or Arabic is desirable.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.