INTERPOL’s African Conference targets transnational organized crime

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Cooperation, innovation and strengthening partnerships to fight the evolving threats posed by transnational organized crime is the main focus of INTERPOL’s African Regional Conference.

The three-day (27 – 29 August) assembly in Cape Town, brings collectively some 188 senior police leaders from 56 nations to offer a unified and coordinated method to tackling the area’s most urgent safety challenges.

Professor Firoz Cachalia, South Africa’s Acting Minister of Police, stated:

“This Conference convenes at a critical juncture. Transnational organised crime remains one of the most serious threats to peace, stability, and development across Africa and beyond.

“The task before us is daunting, but it is also inspiring. Our collective resolve, our shared expertise, and our commitment to cooperation give us reason to be hopeful. On behalf of South Africa, I wish to reaffirm our commitment to the values and objectives of INTERPOL and to the spirit of African and international solidarity.”

The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Fannie Masemola, stated:

“We gather today not merely as representatives of our respective countries, but as partners bound by a shared responsibility, to confront the complex and evolving challenges of transnational crime that undermine peace, prosperity and the rule of law across our beloved continent. Transnational crime knows no borders and our response cannot be confined by borders either.”

INTERPOL President, Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, stated:

“The theme of this conference ‘Leveraging cooperation, innovation, and partnerships to fight transnational organized crime,’ reflects the urgent challenges we face, but more importantly, it signals our shared determination to find solutions together.

“The African Regional Conference is a testament to the enduring spirit of partnership that defines INTERPOL’s work on the continent.”

Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL stated:

“The African Regional Conference is a critical platform for law enforcement to share expertise, best practices and resources in the fight against transnational organized crime.

“By listening to what the region needs and working closely with our members, we are making sure INTERPOL does more than just bring people together – we’re helping to make a bigger impact on Africa’s safety and security.”

Chaired by INTERPOL’s Vice President for Africa Mohammed Dkhissi, the convention will deal with a variety of regional legal exercise, together with human trafficking and migrant smuggling, environmental safety, and cattle theft which can be utilized to generate terrorism financing.

Cybercrime

According to INTERPOL’s 2025 Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report, two-thirds of African member nations reported cyber-related crimes accounting for a medium-to-high share of all crimes.

To deal with this rising risk, the latest INTERPOL-coordinated Operation Serengeti 2.0 involving 18 African nations resulted within the arrest of 1,209 cybercriminals who had focused practically 88,000 victims.

The three-month (June – August 2025) crackdown additionally recovered USD 97.4 million and dismantled 11,432 malicious infrastructures.

Strengthening cooperation

With partnerships a key consider combating regional crime, constructing on the 2019 cooperation settlement, a brand new set of pointers for growing stronger hyperlinks between INTERPOL National Central Bureaus and AFRIPOL National Liaison Offices will probably be offered, aimed toward maximising assets, streamlining efforts and avoiding duplication.

Delegates may also be up to date on the progress made because the signing of an settlement between INTERPOL and the African Development Bank Group for larger cooperation to fight corruption, monetary crime, cyber-enabled fraud and cash laundering.

The convention may also deal with capability constructing, coaching and rising variety inside legislation enforcement companies, recognizing the significance of a talented and inclusive workforce to extra successfully fight crime and shield the communities they serve.