BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) continues to make major breakthroughs in its quest to stop violence and suppress crime in the country and at the cross border.
The REPS have been commended for participating in cross-border and transnational crimes, this was revealed by the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (SARPCCO) Chairperson Lieutenant General Joseph Shimweela Shikongo during an official visit to the country.
Shikongo particularly commended the Kingdom of Eswatini for its active role in regional and inter-regional training. Interventions and operations organized by SARPCCO or INTERPOL such as USALAMA and Basadi.
He stated that the purpose of the visit was to assess the level of implementation of SARPCCO decisions, INTERPOL resolutions and ascertain challenges facing Member States, so as to collectively adopt best practices and strategies in order to remain relevant in the policing world.
He revealed that during the first leg of his visit, he discovered challenges that include poor secondment and low enrolment of police officers to study at the SARPCCO Centre of Excellence as well as the inconsistent financial contributions by some Member States.
The Chairperson noted that it is important that Police Chiefs be apprised of the activities and programmes of SARPCCO at the next annual general meeting before they are made to deliberate and pass decisions which are not well informed on matters of importance to the security of the region.
While in the country, the SARPCCO Chairperson paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini where they had discussions on a variety of issues including the upcoming National Elections.
Speaking during the welcoming ceremony, the National commissioner Tsitsibula W W Dlamini said the pledge to fully engage and participate in joint regional operations is untainted. Our Service is steadfastly committed to positively contribute to regional policing plans whose major aim is to deal with the menace of cross-border crimes. Police remain committed and resolute to their mandate of upholding the rule of law, ensuring safety. security and prosperity of the nation as well as observing human rights,” he said.
