Police Deputy Minister, Cassel Mathale, is leading a delegation of senior officers to the 93rd Interpol General Assembly taking place in Morocco this week.
In a statement on Tuesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said the annual Interpol General Assembly is a platform for member countries to strengthen multilateral partnerships and to adopt collective strategies aimed at enhancing global safety and security.
Mathale said the SAPS delegation will utilise the opportunity to focus its efforts on strengthening relations with member countries to prevent and combat the country’s challenges which include border security, human trafficking and vehicle smuggling cases, drug trafficking and the flow of illegal firearms between countries.
“Transnational crime is a serious cause for concern for South Africa, and this meeting presents an opportunity for law enforcement agencies to strengthen collaboration at an international level. We look forward to robust discussions, and may we depart having gained improved cooperation and mutual understanding with the various countries that have converged under one roof,” he said.
Senior police officers, including the Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu Natal, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the Head of Specialised units in SAPS, Major General Nonhlanhla Zulu and the Head of Interpol in SA, Brigadier Ntime Mokhine are part of the Deputy Minister’s delegation.
The delegation will engage in bilateral meetings with other member countries to explore enhanced intelligence sharing, training, and technical support.
“We are looking forward to bilateral discussions with leading countries on cyber security to enable us as a country to improve and enhance our cybercrime security efforts. Bilateral engagements will also include countries affected by drug smuggling especially South America.
“We will also be actively participating and supporting the adoption of a Silver notice as a strategy to trace and recover criminals’ assets which are kept in foreign countries,” said Mkhwanazi.
South Africa’s participation in this is expected to further cement the country’s long-standing role within Interpol and its contribution toward a safer and more secure world.
The outcomes of the General Assembly will guide future joint operations, technological advancements in policing, and improved law-enforcement collaboration across regions.
The expansion of Interpol tools and capabilities will feature high on the agenda and will be given attention to ensure that these tools will be shared with other law enforcement agencies in the fight against Transnational Organised Crime.
The 93rd Session of the assembly is anticipated to conclude with several resolutions aimed at strengthening global security frameworks and enhancing the collective capability of member countries to respond to evolving criminal networks.
