Piracy in focus at East Africa police forum |30 October 2010

Police commissioner Ernest Quatre led the team at the 12th annual general meeting of the East Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) held in Khartoum, Sudan, from October 16-21.

Mr Quatre, who described the meeting as worthwhile and very fruitful, was accompanied by Superintendent Philip Cecile and Assistant Superintendent François Freminot.

Topics discussed included regional, international and transitional crimes, criminal activities affecting Eastern Africa and police cooperation in combating these crimes.

Also on the agenda were topics like drugs, human trafficking, financial crime, cyber crime and piracy.

The Seychellois delegation focused on piracy-related crimes affecting their country and other regional states.

Mr Quatre said one of the resolutions carried was to hold a regional meeting on maritime piracy, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on November 29. The aim will be to launch a joint investigation team to look into all aspects of piracy-related crime.

This team will also be tasked with analysing the conflict inside Somalia which, in turn, will help member states to better help this war-torn country.

Somalia is an EAPCCO member, just like Seychelles, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Kenya, which are also members of Interpol.

EAPCCO’s annual general meeting was a preparation for this year’s Interpol General Assembly to be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 8-11, which will again be attended by Mr Quatre and his personal assistant Superintendent Ted Barbe.