INTERPOL General Assembly opens in Vietnam with new member countries expanding fight against transnational crime

HANOI, Vietnam - INTERPOL’s 80th General Assembly opened with a call for law enforcement to remain vigilant to both emerging and traditional forms of transnational crime as the world’s largest police organization saw its membership grow to 190 after delegates voted to admit Curaçao, Sint Maarten and South Sudan.

Opening the conference, Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke of the importance of global police cooperation in order to fight transnational crime.

The first day of the General Assembly meeting saw INTERPOL’s membership rise to 190 countries.

INTERPOL President Khoo Boon Hui highlighted the need to develop sustainable strategies to combat emerging security threats, notably cybercrime.

Secretary General Ronald K. Noble underlined the need for innovation in policing in order to reinforce global security.

Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security, Lieutenant-General Tran Dai Quang, addressed the General Assembly.

The INTERPOL Executive Committee provides leadership to the Organization, with its members drawn from the top level of policing in their own countries.

Some 630 police chiefs and senior law enforcement officials from 142 countries are attending the General Assembly.

Discussions will address the enhanced use of INTERPOL’s tools to combat crimes such as online sexual exploitation of children, maritime piracy, firearms trafficking and fugitive investigations.

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The four-day meeting (31 October – 3 November) which brings together some 630 police chiefs and senior law enforcement officials from 142 countries, will address a range of issues including enhanced use of INTERPOL’s tools to combat crimes including online sexual exploitation of children, maritime piracy, firearms trafficking and fugitive investigations.

Opening the conference, Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that his government attached special importance to working with INTERPOL.

“Located in the central region of Asia and the Pacific, Vietnam is directly affected by the complicated crimes that originate from countries in the region and across the world. We are aware that transnational crime prevention requires concerted efforts among countries and global police cooperation needs to be strengthened through INTERPOL to better fight these crimes,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Addressing the delegates, INTERPOL President Khoo Boon Hui said the General Assembly was an opportunity to collectively review the security landscape and adopt a law enforcement approach that considers both the national and global perspectives.

“We need to constantly scan the horizon, anticipate and develop sustainable strategies that address both the present and emerging security threats. Criminals are quick to take advantage of the rapid technological developments and the prevalence of the Internet, and we should anticipate cybercrime to grow in scale, sophistication and impact,” said President Khoo.

“To successfully confront this global crime threat requires a holistic approach that involves stakeholders from both the public and private sectors,” added the President pointing to the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) as an example of this type of collaboration.

Due to open in Singapore in early 2014, the IGCI will enable INTERPOL to improve its support to member countries in tackling the crime threats of the 21st century and strengthen international policing worldwide, particularly through research and development.

As an example of the world police organization’s innovative methods in tackling all types of crime, South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka will give the General Assembly a special performance of ‘Proud to Be’, the song she recorded with Youssou N’Dour as part of INTERPOL's ongoing campaign to raise public awareness of the health risks posed by fake medicines, particularly in Africa.