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African Police Organisation 'Afripol' launched in Algeria

The official launch of the African Police Organisation (Afripol) was announced in Algeria yesterday in the presence of police leaders from African countries and officials of regional and international police bodies.

The first General Assembly of African Police Leaders was also launched at the Exhibition Centre in the west of the capital.

The founding agreements of Afripol were ratified by the 28th Summit of the African Union held in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in late January 2017.

During the two-day General Assembly, the internal regulations of the General Assembly and the Steering Committee will be discussed; as well as the appointment of members of the Afripol steering committees and the general outlines for cooperation among police bodies at the national, regional, continental and international levels.

Abdelmalek Sellal, Prime Minister of Algeria [File photo]

Algeria’s Prime Minister, Abdelmalek Sellal, said during his opening speech: “This meeting affirms the determination and commitment of African governments and police institutions to strengthen security cooperation and face the challenges that stand before us, especially transnational crime and terrorism”.

“The multifaceted threats of terrorism and transnational crime to our security necessitate joint action, cooperation and coordination between international security agencies, as well as the involvement of the international community”, he added.

“The cooperation of the member countries today is a real breakthrough towards the integration and unity of our continent,” said Moussa Faki, Chairman of the AU Commission during the meeting. He added:

Afripol is a very important cooperation tool in view of the major challenges facing Africa, especially in the field of security.

In September 2013, the project to establish Afripol was launched during the 22nd Pan-African Regional Seminar of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) in Algeria, which was chosen as the headquarters of the organization.

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