22 July 2010 - The United Nations and Canada today inaugurated in Bissau a police training center aimed at reinforcing Guinea-Bissau law enforcement institutions to tackle issues of administration of justice and combat criminality, including drug trafficking and organized crime.

The Computer-based training center (CBT center) is designed to help continuous learning of members of the internal security and policing institutions, and resulted from a partnership between UNIOGBIS, UNODC and the Canadian government and cost US$ 61,000 to set up.

UNODC representative in Guinea-Bissau Manuel Pereira recalled that the center has been conceived within the framework of the country's Security Sector reform (SSR).

For his part, Canadian representative shared his country concern over the increase of drug trafficking in West Africa and particularly in Guinea-Bissau, saying that "the project will help reinforce Guinea-Bissau police technical skill". "This center, in connection with a similar one in Sierra Leone, will help improve the sub-region technical skills in drug trafficking combat", Benoit Gauthier said.

On behalf of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Joseph Mutaboba, UNIOGBIS OIC Babafemi Badejo reaffirmed the UN "support to capacity-building initiatives through training of the members of policing and internal security institutions" of Guinea-Bissau. With respect to the center, Mr. Badejo said it is "a signal of a strong dedication and collective commitment to building a modernized, efficient internal security and criminal investigation system, with capable human resources to address the challenges of criminal activity in the society of Guinea-Bissau, and collaborate with other societies in the sub-region".

Guinea-Bissau Secretary of State for National Security and Public Order, Octavio Alves explained that the CBT center will "answer training needs and requirements of the Public Order Police" but also "colleagues from other policing bodies such as Judiciary Police" and increase overall capacity of law enforcement to address issues related to administration of justice.