Cooperation between Italy and Côte d'Ivoire: advanced training course on the protection of victims of terrorism, funded by the Farnesina and coordinated by Sant'Anna School, for African magistrates, judges and judicial police officers concluded

Bilateral relations between Italy and Côte d'Ivoire are further strengthened following the recent official visit of President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, and cooperation activities continue thanks to the new advanced training course on the protection of victims of terrorism, which concluded in Abidjan on Friday, April 19, 2024, under the coordination of the Sant'Anna School and under the scientific direction of Andrea de Guttry, Full Professor of International Law at the Sant'Anna School. The course was part of a project funded by the italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, at the initiative of the International Academy for the Fight Against Terrorism in Abidjan. 

The course aimed to provide technical and theoretical skills and tools to deal with the challenges of contemporary terrorism and was aimed at magistrates, judges and judicial police officers from several African countries (Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Madagascar, Djibouti, Benin and Côte d'Ivoire) specializing in terrorism case management and medical, judicial and associative follow-up of victims.

Lectures were given by faculty from Italy, Côte d'Ivoire, and other countries, ensuring relevant expertise in the assistance and protection of victims of terrorist actions. The lecturers included Cuno Tarfusser, former vice president of the International Criminal Court; Lorenzo Gasbarri, Assistant Professor in International Law at the Sant'Anna School; Martina Galli, Assistant Professor in Criminal Law at the University of Tuscia.

The strategic importance of this initiative for cooperation between Italy and Côte d'Ivoire, in the framework of the fight against terrorism in the region, was witnessed at the opening ceremony by the speech of Ambassador Giuseppe Mistretta, central director for Sub-Saharan African Countries at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The closing ceremony was attended by Arturo Luzzi, Ambassador of Italy in Abidjan.

This advanced training course involved the Sant'Anna School, which had already been involved in similar initiatives between 2018 and 2022, in particular with the project "Strengthening the judicial systems of African countries through training", between 2022 and 2023). For the success of all these activities, the support provided by the Farnesina and the Italian Embassy in Niamey, Niger, has always been crucial.

"The Sant'Anna School is proud to contribute to this important technical assistance project - says Andrea de Guttry, as director of the advanced training course - which aims to strengthen the skills of operators in countering terrorism in a key area for the stability of the African continent and Europe. We are convinced that through cooperation and the strengthening of judicial institutions, it is possible to promote a coordinated and effective response to the persistence of terrorist threats at the global level".

Cover photo: a highlight of the advanced training course in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).