Seychelles hosts key meeting on counter-terrorism |18 February 2014

Directors of Criminal Investigation Departments (CID) from the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) are gathered in Seychelles to discuss counter-terrorism strategies.
 
This is being done through a three-day workshop currently being held at the Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecutions and Intelligence Coordination Centre (Rappicc) on Bois de Rose Avenue.

As many countries of the region currently face the plight of piracy, maritime piracy along with crime scene management and related training needs are among the main topics being covered during the three days.

The conference was officially opened yesterday morning by EAPCCO chairman and local Police Commissioner Ernest Quatre.

In his opening speech, Commissioner Quatre said Seychelles is proud and honoured to host a high profile workshop covering a worldwide problem which is having a terrible impact on the lives of innocent civilians and communities at large.

He reminded that every government has a primary responsibility to provide security for its citizens, without which there will be no economic and social growth.

This is why he emphasised that EAPCCO countries should take positive actions, such as building on their police and security services, to reduce or eradicate the impacts of terrorism through shared experiences and mutual support.

“We are faced with the challenges to develop counter-terrorism strategies [...]. It is true that counter-terrorist strategies focus on military, police or other internal security approaches. But equally, and as we are doing today, building upon external relations and building networks, we also look to our shared experiences and friendships to be part of an overall strategy that will address concerns or threats before they become terror onto our people,” Mr Quatre said.

The workshop is being organised with the collaboration of Interpol and the Seychelles government, with the financial support of the USA, Canada, Norway and Australia. It is being led by two experts from the South African-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS), senior researcher Anneli Botha and senior training coordinator Willem Meintjes.

Other than Seychelles, the conference has brought together delegates from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan and Uganda, while Djibouti and the Comoros are absent.