The 5th African Union Annual Police Coordination Meeting placed emphasis on strengthening police capabilities for Peace Support Operations, the African Standby Force and crisis situations in Africa.
This is to be achieved through improved coordination, communication, cooperation and collaboration among police entities.
The four-day event convened in Windhoek on Monday and is meant to address challenges in peace operations, particularly in terms of rebuilding trust in authorities in societies emerging from conflict.
Africa faces complex and evolving security challenges, including intra-state conflicts, transnational organised crime, terrorism, radicalisation, violent extremism, cybercrime and trafficking.
The Director of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs for the SADC Secretariat highlighted the evolution of peace operations and policing in Africa, emphasising that police now require new skills and knowledge. This shift is focused on capacity building to effectively perform peace support missions.
Professor Kula Theletsane noted a shift toward more continental peace operations that require adapted training and organisational capabilities to prepare police for deployment.
"In striving for effective multilateralism and multidimensionality, this meeting serves as a springboard to ensure that the AU and African Standby Force police become fit for purpose. To achieve this, we have to conduct a thorough internal and external review for our police components in the African Union, African Standby Force regional planning elements, and African Standby Force pledge police capabilities and those deployed in current peace support operations."
The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, said that the gathering is more than just about exchanging ideas; it is also meant to build and strengthen a continental network of security cooperation based on trust, solidarity, and shared responsibility.
"This annual meeting is more than a forum – it is a testament to the enduring commitment of the African Union to the ideals of Silencing the Guns, promoting peace and security, and advancing the rule of law across our continent. It is also a crucial platform for us, as police professionals, to assess our progress, strengthen operational linkages, and build frameworks for joint action. I therefore appeal to all African police services to stand together in unity as we confront the complex and evolving policing challenges facing our continent."
The gathering aims to strengthen coordination among African policing institutions, improve collaboration and information-sharing within AU policing bodies, and enhance community-oriented policing to better address today's security challenges.