By CHARITY MOONGA –
THE Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) has reaffirmed its commitment to make the SADC region safer from crime and illegal drugs.
The representatives of SARPCCO and SADC said this at a Joint Regional Programme held in Windhoek, Namibia adding that they would work together to reduce incidences of crime and drugs.
The member states said they would strengthen capacities at the national level and promote regional cooperation in line with the priorities and needs of the countries concerned.
They agreed to achieve a region safer from crime and drugs through their programmes of countering illicit trafficking and organised crime, criminal justice and integrity and improving drug abuse prevention, treatment and care, and HIV prevention, treatment and care for people who use drugs.
It is envisioned that the programmes would contribute to uphold crime prevention measures in the region in the context of supporting a sustainable socio-economic development.
The meeting agreed that it was important to uphold inclusive regional cooperation to assist sort out the key concerns and priorities to be addressed under the future regional Programme.
UNODC officer in charge Ehab Salah highlighted in his speech earlier that vices such as increasing drug use, HIV and AIDS, organized crime, trafficking in persons, violence against women and children,
corruption and money-laundering were shared challenges, which inhibited national and regional development, undermining justice and the rule of law, and threatening overall security in all SADC member States.
He said only by working together, could these challenges be addressed in a meaningful and sustainable way.
The implementation of the regional programme was ongoing in a number of thematic areas including HIV in prison settings, trafficking in persons, gender-based violence, anti-corruption, asset-recovery and many more.