Delegates at the 80th Interpol General Assembly in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, yesterday elected police chief Emmanuel Gasana as the African delegate on Interpol Executive Committee.

Interpol is the international criminal police organization made up of 190 member states.

Rwanda replaces Morocco that has occupied the position since 2008 and Gasana will also hold the position for the next three years.

According to a statement from the national police, the committee on which Rwanda was elected is made up of 13 members.

Police spokesperson, Supt Theos Badege, said it was a great honour to the country.

"This implies that the role the Rwandan police play in international security is recognized,” said Badege.

Interpol’s general assembly meets once a year and makes all the major decisions affecting general policy, the resources needed for international co-operation, working methods, finances and programmes of activities.

Rwanda vied for the seat with other African countries such as Ghana, Seychelles and others.

The same assembly also elected Adamu Mohammed the Deputy Commissioner of Nigerian Police as the new vice president for Africa, and the head of the Colombian National Police, Gen Oscar Adolfo Naranjo Trujillo as Vice President for the Americas.

This is the second international role to be acquired by Gasana after his recent election as chair of the Eastern African Police Chief’s Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO).

Ends