The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will hold the 31st Annual General Meeting of Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee/ Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) in Lilongwe, Republic of Malawi, on 11-12 June 2026 to discuss regional measures to prevent and combat cross-border and transnational organised crimes.
The meeting will be officially opened by the Minister of Homeland Security of the Republic of Malawi, Honourable Peter Mukhito, as the Guest of Honour and chaired by Mr. Richard Chakupaleza Chikoko Luhanga, SARPCCO Chairperson and Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service.
The meeting will address key regional peace and security issues, with a particular focus on emerging and transnational organised crime, amongst others; cybercrime, financial crime, proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, illicit drug trafficking, motor vehicle crime, livestock crime, terrorism and other cross-border crimes affecting the region.
The meeting will also review activities, programmes and progress in relation to SADC instruments adopted to prevent and combat cross-border and transnational organised crimes, including the SADC Integrated Strategy to Prevent and Combat Transnational Organised Crime and its Action Plan and the SADC Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunitions, and other Related Materials.
The outcomes of the meeting will strengthen regional security and stability, contributing to the stable, peaceful, and prosperous SADC region envisioned in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020–2030 and Vision 2050.
The SARPCCO will be preceded by the following meetings.
08 June 2026: Meeting of Heads of INTERPOL National Bureau Centres (NBCs)
09–10 June 2026: Meeting of the SARPCCO Technical Organs.
Media enquiries
SADC Secretariat
- Ms. Barbara Lopi, Head of Communication and Public Relations, email; blopi@sadc.int or Mr. Innocent Mbvundula, Communications and Relations Officer (External), telephone +267 725 72 969 email, imbvundula@sadc.int with a copy to prinfo@sadc.int
- Ms. Thanyani Gumede, Senior Officer- Police/SARPCCO, SADC Secretariat, email tgumede@sadc.int
Malawi Government
- Senior Superintendent Lael Chimtembo, Public Relations Officer, Malawi Police Service, telephone +265 999 922 166; email lael.chimtembo@police.gov.mw
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SADC in Brief
SADC is an organisation of 16 Member States established in 1980 as the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference (SADCC) and later, in August,1992 transformed into the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The mission of SADC is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development through efficient, productive systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance and durable peace and security; so that the region emerges as a competitive and effective player in international relations and the world economy. Member States are Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
About SARPCCO
Established in 1995, SARPCCO brings together Chiefs of Police from SADC Member States to coordinate action on cross-border and transnational crime, subject to domestic laws and international obligations. Some of the objectives also available in the SADC Website on this link: https://www.sadc.int/pillars/police-sarpcco, include;
Promoting cooperation and shared strategies to manage all forms of cross-border crime with regional impact.
Preparing and circulating timely information on criminal trends to help Member States contain crime.
Regularly assessing joint crime management approaches to match changing national and regional priorities.
Ensuring efficient management of criminal records and joint monitoring of cross-border crime, leveraging INTERPOL systems.
Recommending reforms to governments on policing matters affecting the SADC region.
Issued by the SADC Secretariat, Gaborone, Botswana
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