meet to strengthen efforts in the fight against Transnational Organised Crime

Themed “Forging alliances in the fight against transnational organisedcrimeintheSADCRegion”,thefirstSouthernAfrica DevelopmentCommunity(SADC)Multi-stakeholdersRegional Conference on Transnational Organi ed Crime concluded on s WednesdaythisweekinSwakopmund.

The objective of the three-day regional conference, which was from MondaytoWednesdaythisweek,wastoforgealliancesinthefightagainst transnational organised crimes During the closing ceremony on Wednesday, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, the Southern Africa PoliceChiefsCorporationOrgani ation(SARPCCO)Chairpersonandthe s InspectorGeneraloftheNamibianPolicesaid,thisConferencehaslaidthe foundationofhowcrimessuchasfinancialcrimes,corruption,traffickingin illicit drugs, infrastructure crimes, trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons, as well as explosives, are negatively impacting the region. Shikongo said, “After having been briefed on the outcome of this Conference, I am gratified to note that indeed regional strategies and recommendations have been put forward, among others, enhancement of inter-agency cooperation at national and government levels, forging Private Public Partnerships in combating transnational organised crime and effective implementation of regional and international strategic instruments to combat transnational organised crime which are aimed at strengthening our efforts in the fight against Transnational Organised Crime.” According to Shikongo, the recommendations made during the conference will be submitted to his fellowSADCChiefsofPoliceduringtheSARPCCOAGM,scheduledfor June 2023, in Swakopmund as well as to the SADC Heads of AntiCorruptionCommissions/Departments,HeadsofImmigrationandMining sectorfortheirconsiderationandadoption.

Shikongo urged delegates of the conference to continue with the spirit of collaborationandworkingtogether,“becauseourfightisagainstacommon enemy,beingthetransnationalorganisedcrimesyndicates.Asaregion,we cannotaffordtocontinueplayingsecondtocriminalsyndicates;hence,our collective goal is to decimate these criminal enterprises and syndicates perpetuating illicit activities in Southern Africa.” While addressing the delegates, Shikongo called on all delegates to strengthen the high level of cooperation exhibited, throughout the multi-stakeholder conference while at the same time enhancing information sharing and undertaking joint operations. “Let us not forget that we are operating in a modern terrain where criminal syndicates just like law enforcement agencies, are equally exploiting and harnessing contemporary tools including artificial intelligencetobroadentheirillicitactivities.”

Shikongo concluded, “what this means is that, as the police, immigration, anti-corruption, mining and other law enforcement agencies including private sector stakeholders, we need to strengthen prevention strategies, capacity building, use of the cutting-edge technologies, so that we effectivelycombattransnationalorganizedcrimeinourregion.”