On 5 November 2024, INTERPOL’s General Assembly voted to appoint Valdecy Urquiza of Brazil as the next Secretary General of the Organization. Mr Urquiza takes over at the end of the General Assembly on 7 November 2024 to serve a five-year mandate.
The General Assembly vote was the final stage in the selection process that was carried out in accordance with the Organization’s rules; Mr Urquiza was the candidate proposed by the Executive Committee following a selection procedure.
The vote is carried out by secret ballot. The result is determined by a simple majority of the member countries who are present and who cast an affirmative or a negative vote.
The Secretary General of INTERPOL is the Organization’s chief official and is appointed for a five-year term in office, which can be renewed once for a second five-year term by the General Assembly.
The second term of the current INTERPOL Secretary General, Jürgen Stock, will finish at the end of the 92nd General Assembly in Glasgow, United Kingdom in November 2024, when he will hand over to the new Secretary General.
The selection process
The role and selection process of the Secretary General is determined by INTERPOL’s legal texts, including the Organization’s Constitution, the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, the Rules of Procedure of the Executive Committee, the Organization’s General Regulations and its Staff Manual.
The process of selecting the next Secretary General began in July 2023 with a call for candidates sent to all INTERPOL member countries.
Following the application deadline of 31 January 2024, the Executive Committee reviewed all applications during its session in March 2024, and drew up a shortlist of candidates. The Executive Committee interviewed the shortlisted candidates at its session in June 2024, after which it made its recommendation.
The Committee will also submit a report to the General Assembly that attests to the integrity of the selection process and describes the successive stages that led to the Committee’s final choice, as well as the background of the proposed candidate.
A detailed explanatory note on the appointment of the INTERPOL Secretary General, along with the applicable legal provisions of INTERPOL’s legal texts, can be downloaded below.
Candidates for the post of Secretary General
Listed in alphabetical order:
- Mr Stephen KAVANAGH
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Current functions: INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services
- Mr Mubita NAWA
Country: Republic of Zambia
Current functions: Director - Administration, Zambia Police Service
- Mr Faisal SHAHKAR
Country: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Current functions: United Nations Police Advisor & Head of UN Police Division
- Mr Valdecy URQUIZA
Country: Federative Republic of Brazil
Current functions: Director for International Cooperation, Brazilian Federal Police / INTERPOL Vice-President for the Americas
