Katima Mulilo
Police top brass from Namibia and Zambia have been locked in a three-day meeting in Katima Mulilo interrogating the best ways to conduct joint police operations, particularly along the common border in order to root out cross-border crimes such as drug trafficking, poaching and stock theft.
“Our deliberations focus on among others, the approach on the implementation of our previous resolutions, programme on how to conduct joint operations and border patrols along the common border as well as sharing of information and intelligence on cross-border crimes such as drug trafficking, poaching, stock theft and gender-based violence”, the head of the Namibian delegation and commissioner of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) of the Namibian Police, Nicolas Endjala, said at the start of the meeting on Wednesday this week.
The Zambian delegation is led by the police commissioner for its Southern Province, Philemon Mutale.
The meeting, which ends today, is a result of the recent 19th session of the joint permanent commission on defence and security between Namibia and Zambia in Swakopmund last month where it was decided that senior police officials of the two countries would meet to find a suitable way of conducting joint operations.
“I must reiterate the desire and commitment to continuously strengthen our cooperation and dedication to map out new strategies in the fight against cross-border crimes.
This is the only way through which peace, security and tranquillity can be maintained in our countries, the sub-region and beyond,” said Zambezi regional governor Lawrence Sampofu when he opened the meeting.
Endjala commended the Namibia/Zambia joint commission for its recommendations. “I would like to thank the commission for its input.
It resolved that police regional and provincial commanders and other stakeholders of Zambezi Region in Namibia and the western and southern provinces of Zambia should meet before 15th November to devise a programme to carry out joint operations,” noted Endjala.