As part of a programme supported by the U.S. Department of State, the GI-TOC is coordinating a capacity building programme with a group of investigative journalists in Mauritania, Cape Verde, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia and Senegal. The United States in committed to combatting Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU Fishing) and Illicit Trafficking.

Enhancing the capacities of West African journalists is a vital step in the fight against transnational organized crime (TOC) and illicit trafficking. The GI-TOC has been a long-standing partner and supporter of investigative journalism focussing on organized crime around the world, including in West Africa. The GI-TOC is partnering with Poseidon, and The Consortium of Media Innovation and Social Communication (CMICS) in the delivery of this training.

The primary goal of the capacity building and mentorship programme is to strengthen the capacities of West African networks of investigative journalists working on transnational organized crime, including by building their investigative skills and substantive knowledge of human trafficking, IUU and forestry crimes, and to enhance the impact of their reporting on public awareness and policymaking regarding TOC in West Africa.

The programme will constitute of:

• one virtual capacity building session providing the foundational basis for analysing transnational organized crime;
• a five day in-person workshop in Dakar between 15-19 April 2024. Sessions on IUU fishing, forestry crimes, trafficking in persons, investigative journalism skills (including audio-visual skills) will be delivered by experts in the relevant fields;
• the opportunity to apply for a six-month mentorship programme, which includes a grant, and mentorship by an expert in the field relevant to the investigative story, to develop an investigative journalism story focusing on one of IUU fishing, forestry crimes, or trafficking in persons. Five journalists will be selected for this mentorship;
• the opportunity to become part of a network of journalists exchanging on IUU fishing, forestry crimes, and trafficking in persons.

Between 20 and 25 journalists across the focus countries (The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mauritania, Cape Verde) will be selected to participate in the programme.

In order to be eligible, journalists should:

• be based in one of the focus countries;
• have evidenced experience of working closely with communities in that country;
• have demonstrated experience and skills in investigative journalism (use of investigative techniques etc.);
• have previous, evidenced experience working on, and publishing investigative journalism articles regarding, transnational organized crime;
• be available to attend the workshop in person in Dakar between 15-19 April.

Previous, evidenced, experience reporting on IUU fishing, trafficking in persons and/or forestry crimes is desirable.