One of the main focuses at this year's Munich Security Conference was combatting the dominance of thieves and corruption, which is linked to global illicit trade. In fact, for many stakeholders in attendance, it was an urgent topic.
The movement of illegal products causes billions of dollars in losses to the global economy each year, as criminal organizations engage in cross-border trafficking of weapons, tobacco, drugs, and other illicit goods.
Since 2016, PMI IMPACT, a knowledge partner of the MSC International Security Roundtable, has been cultivating an ecosystem of public, private, and non-governmental organizations through its global grant program to combat illicit trade.
The program brings together public and private actors from around the world with the aim of reducing or preventing illegal trade and eliminating its negative impacts on individuals, families, and communities. The transnational security roundtable meeting held during the conference provided another opportunity to advance these discussions.
How PMI is addressing the issue of illicit trade?
Prior to the annual MSC conference, Gregoire Verdeaux, Senior Vice President of PMI's International Affairs, discussed why cooperation is the key factor to successfully combatting illegal trade.
Verdeaux stated, "We must continue taking measures to achieve genuine cooperation between the public and private sectors.
In an effort to revitalize effective partnerships, the company is urging the international community to work together. Verdeaux CEO, along with MSC's CEO Benedikt Franke, sat down to discuss the challenges and opportunities in combating illegal trade and supporting criminal organizations.
The Power of Collaboration: Addressing Illegal Migration Worldwide.
Verdeaux emphasized that organized crime involves the illegal trade of various commodities, including illicit tobacco. He added that we need to enact reforms so that these illegal schemes are no longer seen as "low-risk, high-reward" by criminals.
A cigarette-free future...with no illegal trade.
The key to maintaining PMI's vision for a smoke-free future is to eliminate the illegal trade of cigarettes and other tobacco products. This could disrupt the illegal flow of funds that benefits criminals and pave the way for a more sustainable future.
The company is striving to create a world without cigarettes and without illegal trade. However, it cannot achieve this alone. Everyone, from the public sector to the private sector, can play a role in helping all stakeholders achieve better outcomes.
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