The 13th meeting of Heads of Interpol National Central Bureaus (NCB) opened in Kigali yesterday, ahead of the 18th Eastern Africa Police Chiefs’ Cooperation Organisation Annual General Meeting (EAPPCO-AGM), scheduled to begin in Kigali on August 31.

The subcommittee of the heads of NCBs saw technocrats from nine countries (Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya Tanzania, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and hosts Rwanda) share information, exchange ideas and best practices and updated on the latest efforts and new resources in the fight against emerging security threats.It is among several subcommittee meetings that will be held prior to the general meeting.

"These meetings are a reminder that we are at the forefront against transnational organised crimes which pose a significant and growing threat to national, regional and international security with serious implications for public safety, public health and economic stability,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Tony Kulamba, Commissioner for Interpol and Cooperation at Rwanda National Police, said at the meeting.

He noted that "deepening cooperation and quick response to each other’s request is the only message to criminals that there is no hiding place for them anywhere.”

"The 13th EAPCCO Heads of NCBs meeting is another great opportunity for us to interact and share contact details and enhance friendship and mutual support as we pursue our common goal of a safer region and world,” he added.

The Assistant Director, National Central Bureau Coordination for Africa, Precious Tlhabiwa, said such meetings provide a platform for interaction and professional networking.

"Often times we wish we could sit together and discuss ways and means we could adopt to solve some of the challenges we face in enforcing the law, this provides exactly the right environment.”

Sothenes Makuri, the acting head of the Regional Bureau, said the region continues to face many challenges that require enactment of proper strategies.

"Terrorism, trafficking in human beings, trafficking in narcotic drugs, wildlife crimes, cybercrimes, and proliferation of small arms and light weapons are some of these challenges. In the spirit of international police cooperation, we must all come together to confront these challenges,” he said.

Reports from heads of NCBs and other subcommittees will later be forwarded to the Council of Chiefs of Police for approval before submitting them to the Council of ministers incharge of security for final considerations.

The meeting of the Police chiefs will also coincide with ‘Cyber Enabled Crime Table-Top Exercise’ organised by Rwanda National Police in partnership with the International Police Organisation (Interpol) under the theme: "Fighting Cyber-enabled crime through multi-disciplinary, holistic approach to prevention and mitigation.”

The exercise, to attract participants from the African region, seeks to enhance cooperation, skills and knowledge in response to cyber-related crimes.

It will also look at the concept of human trafficking investigations that rely on cyber-related information such as use of social media, mobile devices, computers and other internet-based technologies in a multi-jurisdictional setting.

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