Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General, Stephen Mutamba, was among 188 senior police leaders from across Africa who convened in Cape Town this week for a high-level INTERPOL conference focused on strengthening regional security cooperation.
The three-day INTERPOL African Regional Conference, held under the theme ‘Leveraging cooperation, innovation, and partnerships to fight transnational organised crime,’ served as a critical platform for law enforcement chiefs to devise a unified strategy against cross-border criminal threats.
In his opening address, South Africa’s Acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia, underscored the gravity of the challenge.
“Transnational organised crime remains one of the most serious threats to peace, stability, and development across Africa and beyond,” he stated.
“The task before us is daunting, but it is also inspiring. Our collective resolve, our shared expertise, and our commitment to cooperation give us reason to be hopeful.”
The conference addressed a spectrum of pressing regional security issues, including human trafficking, migrant smuggling, environmental crimes, and cattle theft linked to terrorism financing.
South African Police Service National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, emphasised the necessity of a borderless response.
“We gather today not merely as representatives of our respective countries, but as partners bound by a shared responsibility… Transnational crime knows no borders and our response cannot be confined by borders either,” he said.
INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi echoed the sentiment of collective action, stating,
“The theme of this conference reflects the urgent challenges we face, but more importantly, it signals our shared determination to find solutions together.”
The gathering, chaired by INTERPOL’s vice president for Africa, Mohammed Dkhissi, highlighted the role of innovation and information-sharing in modern policing. INTERPOL Secretary General, Valdecy Urquiza, noted the conference’s importance, saying it is “a critical platform for law enforcement to share expertise, best practices and resources,” ensuring INTERPOL helps “make a bigger impact on Africa’s safety and security.”
Commissioner General Mutamba’s participation underscores Zimbabwe’s commitment to international police collaboration and its active role in regional security initiatives aimed at combating organised crime networks.
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