IGAD and its member states have clearly articulated that transnational organised crimes(TOC) are a threat to the stability and security of our region. IGAD member states share common vulnerability factors and security threats that we have to fight together in unison. The vision of the Pillar is to see an IGAD region that is safer, secured and peaceful to live and work. This pillar aims to contribute to IGAD's keen interest to transform common vulnerability factors to points of cooperation to fight transnational security threats. The overall purpose of the pillar is to realise an enabling environment for and capacity and capability of members states and IGAD to prevent, detect, investigate and neutralise transnational serious and organised crimes. The pillar is entrusted with but not limited to the following tasks:
- undertaking transnational organised crime threat assessment (TOCTA) and contribute to the enhancement of empirical knowledge on the vulnerability and threats in the region;
- Developing regional policy/ strategy frameworks and protocols/conventions aimed at preventing, controlling and combating TOC;
- Strengthen regional capacity and capability by providing various capacity building training and seminars on selected areas related to preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting TOC to enhance conceptual and expertise/technical skills;
- Promoting and strengthening regional information and intelligence sharing and cooperation in the IGAD region and beyond;
- Undertaking researches on specific emerging TOC threats based on the findings of TOCTA and member states' requests;
- Promoting international and regional legal and institutional frameworks and their effective implementation at regional and national levels
The pillar covers the areas of drug and psychotropic substances trafficking and illicit trade; human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, small arms and light weapons trafficking, money laundering and terrorist financing, illicit financial flaws, counterfeiting and intellectual property rights related crimes, cybercrime, and other related crimes. Criminal activities and their modus of operandi are interlinked, complex and multifarious, TOC pillar works hand-in-hand with the other pillars and other IGAD institutions such as CEWARN, MSU, Migration Resource Centre and agencies working on human security.