The U.S. Department of State led the Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG), which convened in Europe December 14-15, for its first-ever regional meeting focusing on Hizballah’s activities in Africa.  Governments and organizations from across Africa participated in this session, along with the United States, Israel, and Europol.

The LECG was established by the United States and Europol in 2014 as a global forum to improve international coordination to counter Hizballah’s terrorist and other illicit activities with governments from around the world participating in this group.

Participants discussed how Hizballah continues to raise funds in Africa, using both licit and illicit means, and how the organization continues to evade law enforcement and financial regulatory efforts.  LECG participants noted the destabilizing impact of this type of activity, and how it undermines the rule of law and the integrity of the financial system.   Officials at the meeting also highlighted how criminal justice and financial tools can be used to disrupt Hizballah terrorist and other criminal activities and dismantle their associated networks.

The LECG noted governments from Europe, South and Central America, and the Indo- Pacific that have taken national-level action in recent years to designate, ban, or restrict Hizballah from operating on their territory, and explored what similar actions African governments could take.  LECG participants also highlighted the need to increase cooperation on our efforts to counter Hizballah’s global terrorist networks.  Officials from the U.S. Departments of Justice, Treasury, as well as from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Counterterrorism Center also participated in this meeting.  The LECG will convene again in the summer of 2023.

Source: US State Department