Ochola replaces Kayihura as EAPCCO chairperson

Mar 15, 2018

Uganda is holding the EAPCCO seat, and the newly-appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), Okoth Ochola, who replaced Gen. Kale Kayihura, automatically takes over the post of EAPCCO chairperson that Kayihura was holding.

Uganda is among the African countries that will benefit from an initiative the International Police (INTERPOL) has launched to strengthen Africa's global law enforcement role by improving its ability to share and receive police information.

Africa's regional police leaders and the INTERPOL Secretary General, Jürgen Stock, launched the law enforcement initiative, according to a March 12 statement from INTERPOL headquarters in Lyon, France.

Stock said the initiative dubbed I-ONE would ensure that well-equipped, well-trained African National Central Bureaus (NCBs) help their national police forces tackle pan-African transnational crime.

"I-ONE ensures that African police officers can work together, not only at regional level but across Africa, so that in the interest of regional and global security, no-one gets left behind," said Stock.

INTERPOL Uganda chief, Fred Yiga, who represented the Eastern African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO) chairperson, said; "equipment renewal will boost the use of INTERPOL services and in turn serve to increase contributions to INTERPOL databases with African police intelligence so critical to preventing terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime."

Uganda is holding the EAPCCO seat, and the newly-appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), Okoth Ochola, who replaced Gen. Kale Kayihura, automatically takes over the post of EAPCCO chairperson that Kayihura was holding.

When contacted on the matter, Police spokesperson, Emilian Kayima, said the EAPCCO office is held by a sitting IGP. "Once someone vacates the IGP's office, the person who has been appointed into that office automatically becomes the chairperson of EAPCCO," Kayima stated. The EAPCCO seat rotates from one member country to another.

 utgoing  ale ayihurasecond right hands over to the newly appointed  koth cholaleft as state minister for nternal ffairs biga aniaright looks on Outgoing IGP Kale Kayihura(second right) hands over to the newly appointed IGP Okoth Ochola(left) as state minister for Internal Affairs Obiga Kania(right) looks on.

 
Yiga is one of the police chiefs of Africa's four regional police organisations, who met with INTERPOL's Heads of African Regional Bureaus. Other police chiefs were chairpersons of; Central Africa (CAPCCO), Southern Africa (SARPCCO) and West Africa (WAPCCO).

The I-ONE launch provided an opportunity for the four African regional police chiefs and senior INTERPOL staff to emphasize the importance of empowering African NCBs so as to better tackle Africa's crime challenges and security threats.

New equipment, stronger NCBs

I-ONE will start in Africa with the modernisation of 31 NCBs selected from all parts of Africa, providing them with new equipment so they can better use INTERPOL police services and capabilities for better security.

With border points serving as critical locations for detecting travelling criminals, I-ONE will help newly modernised NCBs give frontline police at airports, seaports and land border crossings access to INTERPOL's secure global police communications network, I-24/7.

This will provide them hands-on access to vital police information in INTERPOL's databases, enabling them to instantaneously detect criminals or criminal activity.

"With strong border security the first line of defence in preventing criminals from crossing borders, by improving NCB capacity, I-ONE is preparing the way for African NCBs to coordinate systematic and automated traveler screening," said SARPCCO chairperson Alfredo Eduardo Mingas.

CAPCCO chairperson representative, Kolsala Sirandi Ongtoin, said: "Global security can only be achieved if police capacity is equally strong in every country. I-ONE gives INTERPOL member countries who need it the equipment required for effective international police cooperation, irrespective of financial situation or degree of development."

WAPCCO chairperson, Teko Mawuli Koudouovoh, said: "Ultimately every crime is cross-border in nature. I-ONE will help us work together more than ever through our respective NCBs who will now function to their full potential in solving national and transnational crimes."

I-ONE is funded by an INTERPOL investment of €2m to modernise NCBs through IT equipment renewal and capacity building.

The initiative not only seeks to strengthen NCBs individually but to create a stronger NCB network and more secure region, with the support of INTERPOL's African Regional Bureaus.

I-ONE will be implemented over 21 months (April 2018 ‒ December 2019) in 31 African countries that do not currently receive support from any other externally funded projects.   

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