CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The INTERPOL African Regional Conference has closed with a series of recommendations designed to strengthen international police cooperation and enhance Africa’s capacity to fight transnational organized crime and terrorism.
Police leaders from across the continent addressed some of the most pressing security challenges facing Africa, including cybercrime, terrorism, financial crime and environmental threats.
Global expertise
Delegates at the three-day (27 – 29 August) meeting endorsed a series of recommendations including:
- Harnessing INTERPOL’s global expertise to combat cybercrime, particularly ransomware, online scams and digital extortion
- Expanding intelligence and data exchange between specialist units to identify high-value targets and disrupt criminal networks
- Strengthening border controls with regional and international partners to disrupt the movement of illicit goods, smuggled persons, and terrorist suspects
- Promoting the use of NEXUS, INTERPOL’s new secure case messaging platform for real-time operational coordination, across borders and across regions.
- Engage with INTERPOL’s capacity building and training services to strengthen operational capabilities and enhance professional standards
The conference also saw the creation of a new INTERPOL African Committee which will set future regional priorities and advise on crime threats and prevention strategies.
INTERPOL’s Vice President for Africa and Conference Chair, Director of the Moroccan Judicial Police Mohammed Dkhissi said:
“The region must commit to ensuring that frontline officers have access to, and make maximum use of, INTERPOL’s policing capabilities.
“Our shared goal is a safer Africa, which serves as a fundamental building block for global security, and we must work together to achieve this vision.”
Africa at the heart of global security
As the region with the most INTERPOL member countries, representing nearly one third of the Organization's membership, Africa plays a critical role in global law enforcement.
With four of INTERPOL's six regional bureaus located in Abidjan, Harare, Nairobi, and Yaoundé, the continent is well-positioned to drive international cooperation and innovation in the fight against crime.
In 2024, the region increased the volume of police records shared by seven per cent compared to 2023. Positive query results on African data rose by nearly 60% in the same period — a clear sign of the region’s growing role in global investigations and its commitment to international law enforcement cooperation.
