Financial Crime World

Guinea-Bissau’s Struggle Against Organized Crime: A GOCI Evaluation

Resilience in the Face of Organized Crime

Guinea-Bissau is struggling to address organized crime due to systemic instability, government dysfunction, and corruption. The country lacks a clear anti-organized crime platform, hindering progress in fighting crime.

  • No current plans to promote an anti-organized crime platform
  • Systemic instability and government dysfunction hinder progress in fighting organized crime
  • Corruption, transparency issues, and lack of accountability plague the system

Leadership and Governance: Challenges Ahead

Guinea-Bissau has ratified most international treaties on organized crime but fails to engage effectively in international cooperation. The country lacks effective laws to combat organized crime, despite having an approved national strategic action plan.

  • Lacks engagement in international cooperation
  • Weak laws to combat organized crime
  • New authorities drafting a new plan that may disregard previous work

Criminal Justice and Security: A Pressing Concern

The judiciary is weak, poorly resourced, and corrupt, leading to case backlogs, delays, and rare convictions. Law enforcement lacks basic training, suffers low wages, and is politicized.

  • Weak and corrupt judiciary
  • Poorly trained law enforcement with low wages and politicization
  • Porous borders vulnerable to smuggling of illicit goods

Economic and Financial Environment: Limited Opportunities

Guinea-Bissau’s economy relies heavily on foreign assistance, subsistence farming, and cashew nut exports. Diversification efforts are constrained by weak regulatory quality and rule of law.

  • Economy reliant on foreign assistance and limited diversification opportunities
  • Weak regulatory quality and rule of law hinder economic growth
  • Fails to meet international AML/CFT standards

Civil Society and Social Protection: Limited Support

There is no systematic framework for helping victims or a witness protection program in place. NGOs provide sporadic support but are under-resourced and overcrowded.

  • No systematic framework for victim support or witness protection
  • NGOs under-resourced and overcrowded
  • Weak, fragmented civil society organizations face intimidation
  • Restricted media sector with limited access to information