Sudan’s spy-chief chairs CISSA meeting in Addis Ababa

November 28, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s spy chief and chairman of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services in Africa (CISSA) Mohamed Atta on Sunday has presided over the first joint meeting between the organization’s Troika and heads of regions in Addis Ababa.

During the meeting, Atta offered condolences to Egypt and Somalia on the recent terrorism incidents which claimed lives of thousands of innocent civilians.

According to the semi-official Sudan Media Center (SMC), Atta stressed that security coordination and cooperation and information exchange among African intelligence services is the only way to eliminate terrorism threats.

He pointed out that the meeting is the first of its kind which brings together the Troika countries and heads of regions to discuss the strategic issues to achieve peace and security across the African continent.

Sudan’s spy chief said the meeting aims to develop a work programme to be implemented from November 2017 to June 2018.

Atta added the meeting agreed to hold a number of workshops at the CISSA five regions to discuss issues of illicit light arms proliferation, illegal migration, terrorism, money laundering, piracy and the negative and separatist movements.

The CISSA was established in August 2004 in Abuja, Nigeria to close the existing void in the continental security architecture on intelligence matters. This was borne out of the compelling need to assist the African Union (AU) to deal effectively with multifaceted intelligence and security challenges confronting the continent.

In September 2017, Sudan’s Mohamed Atta succeeded the Rwandan top spy boss Joseph Nzabamwita as chairman of CISSA.

Sudan remains one of the most active members in CISSA. Its chairmanship comes as the country is increasingly seen an island of stability surrounded by conflicts in Libya and the Central African Republic.

(ST)