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The fourth annual meeting of the West and Central Africa (WCA) Regional Working Group (RWG) on Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data took place on 25¨C26 August 2026 in Cotonou, Benin. The event was organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOCT) through the CT Travel Programme, and with support from the United States Department of State's Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT Bureau). It brought together government representatives from West, Central and Southern Africa, alongside United Nations entities and international partners.

During the meeting, Member States reviewed the RWG's future priorities and confirmed Nigeria as Chair for the upcoming 2026¨C2027 period, succeeding C?te d'Ivoire, whose leadership during its tenure as Chair was acknowledged.

The WCA RWG, established with the support of the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel (CT Travel) Programme, continues to serve as a platform for Member States to share practical experience in implementing API and PNR systems, strengthen operational cooperation, and advance passenger data capabilities in line with international standards and human rights principles. This year¡¯s meeting reflected the continuous evolution of the RWG as a Member State-led forum, with growing emphasis on operational issues, lessons from national implementation and regional good practices.

About the Regional Working Group

The initiative was launched in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 2022 as the West Africa Regional Informal Working Group, where Member States laid the foundations for strengthening regional cooperation on API and PNR. It subsequently expanded to include Central African Member States.

In 2026-2027, the RWG will be chaired by Nigeria, with thematic support from Togo as Vice-Chair of the sub-working group on legal frameworks, Benin as Vice-Chair of the sub-working group on operational capabilities, Gabon as Vice-Chair of the sub-working group on transport industry engagement, and Sierra Leone as Vice-Chair of the sub-working group on technology adoption. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Office on Drugs and Crime (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵODC)¡¯s Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP) serves as secretariat for the WCA RWG.

The WCA RWG is part of a growing global network of regional mechanisms established with the support of the CT Travel Programme. Similar regional working groups have been established for Member States in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and for Arab Member States to strengthen national capacities and foster regional cooperation to counter terrorism and serious crime.