ADDIS ABABA - Mary Gahonzire, the acting Inspector General of Police, is attending the 10th annual East Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) meeting in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The meeting that kicked off early this week and expected to end over the week-end focuses on discussing ways of joint police cooperation to prevent crimes in the region.

"The meeting brings together all member countries and people from various fields in the police force and technical departments such as law and justice to look at the progress in ways of joint police cooperation in dealing with crimes such as arms smuggling and drugs,” said Rwanda Police Spokesman, Inspector Willy Marcel Higiro, on phone Thursday.

Other issues on the table include countering possible cross-border crimes, terror acts, child trafficking and organized crimes along borders.

Higiro revealed that Burundi is currently chairing the group but the next term of office will go to Ethiopia.

Gahonzire was accompanied by the acting Director of CID, Tony Kuramba, acting Interpol Chief, Inspector Masasu Mugengangabo, and the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyprian Gatete.

EAPCCO was established nine years ago in Kampala, Uganda. Its member states are Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Eritrea, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, and the Seychelles.

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