Interpol set to open its first office in Africa

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

December 20, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) is preparing to open a permanent office at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa.

National Interpol Head Commander, Girmay Kahsay, on Saturday told Sudan Tribune that Interpol has reached an agreement with the Ethiopian government and the African Union to open the office.

The deal was concluded after Interpol representatives recently held thorough discussions with the concerned parties in Addis Ababa.

When opened, the office in Addis Ababa will be Interpol’s third permanent office after the representative offices at the United Nations in New York and at the European Union in Brussels.

Kahsay said Interpol’s decision to open a permanent office in Addis Ababa was mainly due to the country’s longstanding firm and close collaboration with the organisation.

Ethiopia being a seat of the African Union as well as the positive role the country is playing at regional and continental level was also taken into consideration, he noted.

The police official further said current activities are in progress to open a continental police organisation known as AFRIPOL.

AFRIPOL which will be allied with Interpol aims to facilitate continental police cooperation there by to curb criminal activities across Africa.

Established in 1923, Interpol which is the largest international organisation after the United Nations is designed to coordinate international law enforcement.

The organisation jointly with police around the world executes investigations of criminal activities including terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking environmental crime, genocide, war crimes and piracy among others.

Based in Lyon, France, Interpol has 190 member states.

(ST)