Central African police leaders meet to address regional security and border crime

Police leaders from Central Africa convened in Yaoundé for the 6th session of the Council of Chiefs of Police to discuss strengthening security and combating transborder crime. During the session, the President of the CEMAC Commission, Baltasar Engonga Edjo’o, met with INTERPOL President Lucas Philippe to discuss the challenges of maintaining free movement while securing porous borders.

Key discussions focused on the need for better border infrastructure, including biometric passport readers, and the creation of specialized border police units. The CEMAC Commission is seeking technical support from INTERPOL to access databases and enhance the training and equipment of border police across the six member states to combat terrorism, trafficking, and organized crime.

In a related regional development, Burkina Faso held its sixth annual conference of police commissioners in Ouagadougou. Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility Emile Zerbo called for increased adaptability and measurable operational results to meet evolving security threats and rebuild public trust in the national police force.