The Namibian Police said the country remains proud of Major General Anna-Marie Nainda’s leadership and the message she carried to the 179 member states in the race for Interpol presidency. 

Namibia’s gallant campaign for the presidency of Interpol ended unsuccessfully last week after Nainda was eliminated in the final round of voting at the organisation’s 93rd General Assembly in Marrakech, Morocco. French candidate Lucas Philippe won the presidency after three rounds of voting, while Turkey placed second. Nainda finished third, and Ethiopia came last. Nampol spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi told New Era that Nainda used her address at the assembly to speak about global unity, shared responsibility and the need for stronger cooperation against international crime. 

“While the outcome is not in favour of Namibia, Namibia remains proud of her leadership, professionalism and 33 years of service. Her candidacy was endorsed by SADC and supported by the President of the Republic of Namibia, and that demonstrated the country’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to global security governance,” said Shikwambi. She added that the Inspector General of Nampol Joseph Shikongo together with Nainda, had expressed gratitude to Namibia and all nations that supported the bid. The campaign, which began in August 2025 and was backed by the Presidency, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, and the Ministry of International Relations and Trade, has been described by Nampol as proof of Namibia’s growing diplomatic footprint and commitment to international safety efforts. 

Despite the loss, Nampol stressed that Namibia’s voice within Interpol structures remained strong and that the country would continue engaging at the highest levels. The Interpol General Assembly also elected six new members to the organisation’s Executive Committee, which provides strategic guidance and oversees the implementation of assembly decisions. Members normally serve three-year terms, while the president serves for four years. The newly elected members are: President Lucas Philippe of France, Vice President for Asia Wang Yong of China, Delegate for Africa Issam Fetoui of Tunisia, Delegate for Africa Mohamed Ibrahim Amin of Kenya, Delegate for Asia Kazumi Ogasawara of Japan and Delegate for Europe Stefano Carvelli of Italy. The Executive Committee has 13 members representing different world regions. 

While serving, all members keep their full-time positions in their home countries, contributing their national experience to Interpol’s work. Interpol said the new appointments reaffirm its commitment to balanced and representative governance as member countries confront increasingly complex global threats.