ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) Mechanism for police cooperation (AFRIPOL) has urged robust efforts of AU member states to enhance cooperation among their police agencies in the fight against transnational organized crime and terrorism on the continent.
This came at the first AFRIPOL Secretariat meeting for the Heads of its National Liaison Offices, which has been held in Algeria's capital Algiers from Nov. 26 to 28, according to an AU statement on Friday.
The meeting enabled to clarification of the roles and responsibilities of the AFRIPOL National Liaison Offices in facilitating the implementation of AFRIPOL activities at national level.
Officially opening the meeting, Khelifa Ounissi, the Director General for National Security of Algeria, in his capacity as President of the AFRIPOL General Assembly, underlined on the need to enhance police cooperation on the African continent.
He also stressed on the need to empower police agencies in the continent through training and capacity building in order to equip them with skills to effectively fight transnational organized crime and terrorism, which are major security challenges to the continent.
Participants also received an update on the AFRIPOL Five-year strategic work plan (2020-2024) and the Regulations of the African Police Communication System, as adopted by the Third General Assembly of AFRIPOL that was held in Algiers from 2 to 3 Oct. this year.
Speaking on his part, the Executive Director of the AFRIPOL Secretariat, Tarek A. Sharif, highlighted the role that AFRIPOL is expected to play in enhancing cooperation among the police agencies in the continent in the fight against transnational organized crime and terrorism.
Participants came up with concrete recommendations on improving communication and sharing of information and data at national, regional and international levels, and on modalities for coordinated and targeted capacity building.
The meeting emphasized that the AFRIPOL Secretariat would continue to work with partners to support the police agencies of the member states on enhanced cooperation in combating transnational organized crime and terrorism.
The AFRIPOL is an independent mechanism for police cooperation for AU member states, with main objective of establishing a framework for police cooperation at the strategic, operational and tactical levels between member states police institutions.
