LYON, France – Guinea-Bissau’s President H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embaló met with INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi and Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza at the General Secretariat headquarters.
President of Guinea-Bissau Umaro Sissoco Embaló said:
“It is a pleasure to visit the INTERPOL headquarters and learn more about the Organization’s role in strengthening global security. International police cooperation is essential in addressing common challenges and protecting communities from crime.”
INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al Raisi said:
“During my mandate, I promised to put Africa at the heart of my agenda, and Africa responded with energy and determination. The continent’s leaders and police forces have actively engaged with INTERPOL, strengthening our collaboration and driving meaningful progress.”
President Embaló’s visit saw the signature of a ‘Declaration of Intent’ which will see strengthened cooperation between Guinea-Bissau and INTERPOL, and also marks the first formal commitment by a member country to sign the General Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of INTERPOL.
The Agreement will be presented for adoption by member countries at the 93rd session of the General Assembly in Morocco in November.
INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said:
“This agreement aims to provide the Organization with the essential legal guarantees necessary to carry out its work safely, efficiently, and effectively to better support member countries.”
A key advantage of the Agreement for member countries is the potential for the expedited deployment of INTERPOL Incident Response Teams (IRTs), which can provide critical support during crisis situations, while being duly protected.
Two IRTs have already been deployed to Guinea-Bissau to assist national authorities investigate the country’s largest drug seizures, the first in 2109 and a second team in 2024 after more than 2kg of cocaine was found on a plane at the capital's international airport.
As part of its participation Operation FLASH-WEKA, aimed at dismantling human trafficking and migrant smuggling across Africa, officials in Guinea-Bissau rescued eight victims or potential victims of human trafficking as well as arresting and identifying a number of suspects.
Guinea-Bissau is also part of INTERPOL’s West African Police Information System (WAPIS) programme aimed at strengthening information exchange and coordination among the region’s law enforcement agencies.