The southern African Development Community (SADC) Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee, also known as the South African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) of the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC) held its 28th Annual General Meeting in Swakopmund, Namibia, from 19-23 June 2023 to deliberate on strategies and mechanisms the region can adopt to enhance the fight against transnational organised crime.
The holding of the 28th Annual General Meeting comes at an opportune time given that the 2022 SADC Threat Assessment Report on the Extent and Impact of Transnational Organised Crime (TOC) in the region highlighted that cross-border crimes pose great threat to peace, security and negatively impact on regional integration and development efforts. The Annual General Meeting was attended by 11 Member States.
In his welcoming remarks, the Governor of the Erongo Region, Honourable Neville Andre underscored that SADC Chiefs of Police’s work and responsibilities demand that they meet regularly to map out new strategies aimed at combating transnational organized crimes which not only threaten and violate the sovereignty of Member States, but also pose a serious menace to democracy and peace in the region.
Chairperson of SARPCCO and Inspector General of Namibia Police Force, Lieutenant General Joseph Shimweelao Shikongo noted that regular meetings by the SADC Chiefs of Police demonstrate their commitment to ensuring peace, security, and stability in the SADC region. He further noted that SADC Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee has made significant headways towards strengthening cooperation and fostering joint strategies for combating of all forms of transnational and related crimes, which have regional implications.
The Acting Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs at the SADC Secretariat, Ms Kealeboga Moruti commended the regional security architecture for its unparalleled commitment and passion to embolden peace, security and stability in the region. She applauded SADC Member States for standing in solidarity with the Republic of Mozambique in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado province by pledging operational capabilities that were projected in the Mission.
Ms. Moruti underlined the need for the region to forge a united front to fight transnational organized crime. She thus commended the strategic partners, including INTERPOL through Regional Bureau based in Harare, Zimbabwe for the unconditional support in enhancing regional concerted efforts to entrench and sustain, peace, security, stability, integration, and development.
The INTERPOL Secretary General, Dr Jurgen Stock in his speech, which was read by the INTERPOL’s Special Representative to the African Union, Mr Francis Rwego, underlined the need for enhancing cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the SADC region and beyond as well as heightening the utilization of INTERPOL Policing Capabilities to strengthen the fight against transnational organized crime.
In his keynote address, the Guest of Honour, Namibia Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Honourable Dr. Albert Kawawa, highlighted that the SADC Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee is a critical component of the region’s peace and security architecture. He emphasized the need for the Chiefs of Police/SARPCCO to heighten cooperation amongst Member States, devise ways and means of strengthening the use of advanced technological tools in combating transnational organized crime and to come up with strategies aimed at pushing criminal syndicates out of the region, while amplifying the implementation of regional, continental and international strategic instruments aimed at fighting transnational organized crime.
The Chiefs of Police/SARPCCO deliberated on several issues related to the need to heighten and sustain regional efforts aimed at preventing and combating transnational organized and emerging crimes. In particular, the Chiefs of Police noted that the 2022 SADC Threat Assessment Report on the Status of TOC in the SADC Region highlighted amongst others that TOC represents a major threat to peace, security, governance, social and economic development in the SADC Region.
The Report highlighted that, apart from depleting and hemorrhaging the region’s vast natural resources, TOC also exposes youths, women and other vulnerable groups to various crimes including trafficking, forced labour, terrorism and violent extremism, smuggling, rape, torture and other serious abuses of human rights. The Chiefs of Police also noted that the region is losing billions of dollars annually due to the illicit economy and underhand dealings orchestrated by transnational organised criminal syndicates and their network of supporters.
Furthermore, the Chiefs of Police noted the outcome of the Regional Multistakeholder Conference on combating TOC which was held from 15-17 May 2023 in Swakopmund, Namibia. Amongst others, the Multistakeholder Conference highlighted the following;
the effects and nexus between illicit financial flows and financing of terrorism which requires SADC region to enhance capacity and amplify efforts to follow the money with a view to identifying assets that can be subject to recovery, preservation and forfeiture;
corruption as an enabler for organized crimes dictates for the region to enhance cooperation and collaboration within law enforcement agencies as well as forging alliances with other stakeholders to engender efforts to combat corruption;
virtual assets industry remains largely unregulated in the region. In this regard, there is need to build capacity on the part of law enforcement agencies to enhance skills and knowledge on virtual assets investigations and well as strengthening public virtual assets literacy;
illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons as well as explosives are being used in the commission of various transnational organized crimes in the region such as terrorism, cash in transit heists, ATM bombing, illicit artisanal mining, amongst others. This is exacerbated by Member States’ outdated and unharmonized legislation and regulations on the control of explosives thereby compromising efforts to effectively control the manufacture, sale and trafficking of explosives.
To this end, the Chiefs of Police made several decisions meant to enhance the fight against transnational organised crime in the region. These decisions are tailor-made to enhance both the regional frameworks as well as the operational capabilities of Member States to effectively combat transnational organised crimes. The emphasis was on heightening interagency collaboration at national and intergovernmental levels as well as fostering Private-Public-Partnerships in the fight against transnational organised crime.
As per the tradition, the Outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee and Inspector General of Namibia Police Force, Lieutenant General Joseph Shimweelao Shikongo handed over the SARPCCO Chairpersonship to theIncoming Chairperson, the Inspector General of Zambia Police Service, IGP Graphel Musamba during the ceremonial Hand Over Ceremony of the SARPCCO Sword of Honour. Zambia will officially assume Chairpersonship of SADC Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee in August 2022.
Similarly, the longest serving Police Chief in the region, the Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli from the Kingdom of Lesotho was installed as the Dean of SADC Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee/SARPCCO while the second longest Police Chief, the Commissioner General of Police Godwin Thandabantu Matanga from the Republic of Zimbabwe was installed as the Deputy Dean of SADC Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee/SARPCCO.
