Africa for Education and Development (AFFED) has been nominated to attend the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (COP UNTOC) 2026, to be held in Vienna, Austria. The nomination marks another milestone in AFFED’s growing role within the global civil society movement against organized crime, and continues a track record that has seen the organization represented at 21 international conferences across six continents since 2015.
COP UNTOC brings together states parties, UN agencies, and accredited civil society organizations to review implementation of the Convention and its three supplementing protocols: on trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, and trafficking in firearms. For AFFED, the nomination is a direct extension of work already underway across several of its focus areas, including the fight against corruption, human trafficking prevention, and organized crime and transnational justice.
“Transnational organized crime does not respect borders, and neither should our response to it.”
— Rev. Courage Tengey, AFFED Executive Director and FounderAFFED’s advocacy at COP UNTOC will build on its existing engagement with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, including its participation in the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (CoSP10 and CoSP11), where the organization advocated for stronger transparency, accountability, and access to justice in line with Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
Corruption, human trafficking, and organized crime disproportionately affect vulnerable communities across Africa, undermining institutions, discouraging investment, and putting women, children, and migrants at heightened risk of exploitation. AFFED’s participation in COP UNTOC 2026 will focus on amplifying community-level solutions, strengthening cross-border legal cooperation, and pushing for survivor-centered protections within national and international justice frameworks.
AFFED will share further details on its delegation and advocacy priorities for COP UNTOC 2026 as the conference date approaches. Organizations and individuals interested in supporting this work can reach out via our contact page.
