SARPCCO Technical Organs Meeting, Livingstone, Zambia, 14-16 May 2024

The SARPCCO Technical Organs constitute the advisory board of the Chiefs of Police Sub-Committee which is mandated by the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) to enhance regional frameworks to combat transnational organised crime in the region.

**Mr. Graphel MUSAMBA, Inspector General of Zambia Police Service and SARPCCO Chairperson was the Guest of Honour at the SARPCCO Technical Organs Meeting held in Livingstone, Zambia**

In his opening remarks, Mr. Musamba commended and appreciated the role played by SADC Secretariat and Interpol RB Harare in effectively coordinating regional efforts to prevent and combat transnational organized crime.

He added that a Technical Organs Meeting is a platform that affords the SARPCCO region a rare opportunity for analyzing the criminal landscape, planning response and deterrent measures, as well as taking stock of previous interventions. The latter being a critical step often missed by most institutions.

Mr. Musamba announced to the meeting that during the recent 2nd Chairpersons of Police Organization meeting held in Lyon, France, INTERPOL officially recognized stock theft as a priority crime. This presented a major milestone in our quest to have African solutions for African problems and our drive to prioritise those crimes which have the highest impact for us.

He appealed to the Members of the SARPCCO Technical Organs to establish mechanisms that strive to strengthen national and regional Police cooperation and particularly, through the efficient sharing of crucial crime-related information, bilateral and multilateral agreements aimed at facilitating intelligence exchange, undertake measures to prevent, suppress, as well as apprehend, prosecute or extradite criminal perpetrators while fully complying with human rights principles and the rule of law.

Alluding to his visits to Zimbabwe and South Africa from where he witnessed a handful of accomplishments worth emulating, Mr. Musamba urged the member countries to promote the expansion of the I-24/7 facility beyond the NCBs in order to enhance security at entry and exit border points, take all appropriate measures to strengthen international Police Cooperation to effectively tackle transnational organized crime around the world, and furthermore invest heavily in forensic capacities, especially those which are targeted at drug trafficking, DNA analysis as well as digital forensics.

“Distinguished delegates, ladies, and gentlemen, I will wind up my remarks by reiterating my support and guidance to all SADC Member States in the fight against transnational organised crime. On behalf of the Republic of Zambia and indeed on my behalf, I wish to register my profound gratitude for the tremendous support we are receiving from all the Chiefs of Police in the region, the SADC Secretariat and INTERPOL Regional Bureau Harare since Zambia took over as the chair. It is my appeal for us to remain united as we search for innovative approaches to identifying, locating and arresting more criminals and dismantling their criminal networks.”