Africa: African Union and Interpol join forces against transnational crime
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and the President of Interpol, Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, reaffirmed on Friday, July 4, 2025, their commitment to strengthening cooperation on security and the fight against transnational crime in Africa.
The meeting took place the day before, on Thursday, July 3, at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is part of joint efforts to promote a safer and more stable environment on the African continent, where the challenges of organized crime, terrorism, and illicit trafficking remain a growing concern.
According to a statement published on the official Facebook page of the African Union, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf praised the key role Interpol plays in enhancing global security. He highlighted the cooperation between Interpol and African law enforcement agencies as an essential tool for preventing and combating transnational criminal networks.
The AUC Chairperson also expressed his gratitude to Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi for Interpol’s continued support to Afripol, the African Union’s technical agency for police cooperation, tasked with strengthening coordination between African police forces.
For his part, Mr. Al-Raisi reiterated Interpol’s commitment to supporting the continent’s security priorities through a strengthened partnership with the African Union and its specialized institutions. He emphasized the need for smooth information-sharing, enhanced technical capacity, and greater coordination of regional operations to combat networked crime.
The two leaders agreed to deepen their strategic collaboration to uphold the rule of law, improve citizen security, and build a more resilient continental security architecture. This meeting marks an important step in strengthening ties between the African Union and Interpol in a context of rising cross-border threats to the continent’s stability.
