Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has called for stronger cooperation among African countries to tackle cross-border crime as security officials meet in Nairobi to discuss regional policing strategies.
Kanja opened the 5th INTERPOL African Committee Meeting at the Holiday Inn in Nairobi on Monday, October 26, bringing together delegates from across the continent to discuss shared security threats and ways to improve cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
The meeting comes as African countries face persistent threats from terrorism, drug trafficking, illicit arms trade, illegal mining and increasingly sophisticated criminal networks operating across national borders.
In his address, Kanja said countries needed to strengthen partnerships, share intelligence promptly and coordinate operations to respond effectively to evolving security threats.
He emphasised that criminals were increasingly operating across borders, making cooperation between police agencies essential in tracking suspects and disrupting organised crime.
The Inspector General also expressed confidence in Africa’s ability to address its security challenges through stronger institutions, regional partnerships and locally driven security initiatives.
He said the meeting’s deliberations and resolutions would help shape coordinated responses aimed at protecting citizens across the region.
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Director Mohamed I. Amin, who also represents Africa on the INTERPOL Executive Committee, highlighted the importance of joint operations in tackling transnational crime.
Amin cited Operation Serengeti as an example of how intelligence sharing and coordinated action can help law enforcement agencies identify and disrupt criminal networks.
The latest phase, Operation Serengeti III, involved investigators from 21 countries and resulted in 1,462 arrests, the disruption of 10,909 malicious networks and the recovery of more than US$105 million, according to INTERPOL. The operation targeted cyber-enabled fraud, ransomware, online scams, business email compromise and digital extortion.
Amin said African countries needed a unified approach through INTERPOL to track offenders across borders and respond to emerging security threats.
The Nairobi meeting will also review progress made in implementing previous recommendations and set priorities for future cooperation. It forms part of preparations for the 28th African Regional Conference, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2027.
Among the officials attending are INTERPOL Vice President for Africa Mohamed Dkhissi, African Committee Chairperson Ibrahim Amr and Head of the INTERPOL Regional Bureau for Eastern Africa Africa Apollo.
Senior Kenyan police officials present include National Criminal Investigations Academy Commandant Ibrahim Jillo and Head of INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Kenya Mueni Mutisya.
The meeting provides African police leaders with an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and develop practical responses to criminal activities that increasingly cross national boundaries.
