African Police forces commit to partner against security threats

Law enforcement agencies have been urged to work jointly to combat security threats like cybercrime, money laundering, terrorism, human and drug trafficking, fraud and proliferation and firearms among others. This was one of the resolutions reached at the end of the third International Association of Police Chiefs (IACP), Sub-Saharan Africa Executive Policing conference in Kigali yesterday. The conference brought together over 200 participants including African Police chiefs, senior police officers and IACP members. About 40 African countries, 25 of them represented by their Police Chiefs, attended the conference. The delegates agreed to harmonise standards, regulations, laws and practices to safeguard the benefits of technology and revise the community policing approaches towards contemporary policing challenges. Other recommendations of the conference include investing in training and capacity building of law enforcement institutions, establishment of appropriate infrastructure for gathering and sharing relevant security information and fostering economic development by ensuring law and orders. The Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harelimana, while presiding over the closing ceremony, said the conference was timely and helped strengthen partnership to ensure the safety of millions of people on the continent. “This conference will go down in history as a milestone aimed at uniting Police efforts for a safer world,” the minister said. “Modern, organised, and sophisticated trans-national crimes are not exclusive to one nation,” he added. He lauded the partnership between IACP and the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO). The two police organisations signed a memorandum of understanding on the first day of the conference to partner in various policing areas, including capacity building. The president of IACP, Yousry Zakhary, hailed Rwanda and Rwanda National Police, in particular, for being on the forefront of uniting Police forces towards a common goal. “What unites us is fighting crime and ensuring contemporary policing for a safer world,” he said. He urged participants to implement what was agreed during the conference. Gen. Victoria Phiyega, the Inspector General of South Africa Police Force, said the conference had laid a foundation for successful policing. “It has laid a greater path towards establishing a safer continent. We have learnt and picked so much and together, we will achieve more,” Gen. Phiyega said.