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public and the private sector, in order to combat the increasing
complexities of transnational crime. INTERPOL has started
implementation of OASIS in Africa and is committed to
adapting and extending the programme to meet the needs of
other regions around the world. INTERPOL has had a lengthy
presence in Africa, and has noted the need to provide optimum
support to this region. While the types of crime committed
are common to other regions of the world – such as
INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization,
with 188 member countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates
cross-border police co-operation, and supports and
assists all organizations, authorities and services whose mission
is to prevent or combat international crime. INTERPOL’s
General Secretariat is located in Lyon, France, with six Sub-Regional
Bureaus across the world, and Special Representatives
at the United Nations in New York and the European Union in
Brussels. Each member country maintains a National Central
Bureau staffed by national law enforcement officers.
trafficking in drugs, human beings, weapons and vehicles –
there is a pressing need to boost police resources in many
African countries.
The underlying principle of OASIS is that no country can
be left behind. The world’s wealthy regions have a responsibility
to help the more vulnerable ones to build their police
capacity. For instance, the trafficking of wildlife products in
Africa is a lucrative trade of environmental concern, often
connected to other crimes and with an impact on other regions
of the world.
INTERPOL is working with countries in Africa and companies
in the private sector to assess the extent of the problem and to
devise plans of action. Common to all these problems is a need
for tighter border security – imperative in preventing criminals
travelling freely and in stemming the flow of illegal products
between countries and continents. This can only be achieved if
a solid global framework is in place, eliminating any weak spots
that could be exploited by criminals.
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