Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
SADC and Interpol have reaffirmed their commitment to using the Southern African Regional Police Cooperation Organisation as the primary regional mechanism to prevent and suppress transnational organised crime.
In a communiqué, the SADC Secretariat said the bloc’s Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, Professor Kula Ishmael Theletsane, held discussions with Interpol Secretary-General Valdecy Urquiza on the sidelines of the just-ended 31st Sadc Chiefs of Police/SARPCCO Annual General Meeting, during which both sides stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation to counter transnational organised crime.
“On the margins of the 31st Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Chiefs of Police/Southern African Regional Police Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) Annual General Meeting in Lilongwe, the SADC Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, Professor Kula Ishmael Theletsane, met with Interpol Secretary-General His Excellency Valdecy Urquiza, where the two underscored the need for stronger partnership to combat transnational organised crime.
“The discussion focused on the full implementation of the Cooperation Agreement between SADC and Interpol. Prof Theletsane reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to using SARPCCO as the primary regional mechanism to prevent and suppress transnational organised crime,” said Sadc.
Interpol Secretary-General Urquiza pledged stronger support through the Interpol Regional Bureau in Harare.
The two noted that criminal networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated and operating across borders, calling for a more robust response to safeguard peace, stability and development throughout the SADC region.
“They acknowledged that criminal networks are growing more sophisticated across borders, requiring a stronger response to ensure peace, stability and development across the SADC region,” said SADC.
The SADC Summit held in Maseru, Lesotho, in 2006 decided on the creation of the Police Chiefs Sub-committee as a SADC institution under the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
The establishment of the Police Sector as a stand-alone arm from the Public Security Sector was built on the recognition of policing as a unique service within the framework of SADC regional peace and security.
Accordingly, in compliance with a 2006 Summit decision, SARPCCO was integrated into SADC, and the SADC Treaty was amended in 2009 to include the Ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs, Defence, Public Security, State Security and Police (Article 10A (4)).
SARPCCO is principally responsible for the prevention and combating of cross-border and transnational organised crimes.
It was formed in 1995 in Zimbabwe and has firmly established itself as a benchmark for international police cooperation.
