AFRICA loses between $50 billion and $80 billion annually to illicit financial flows, a staggering haemorrhage of resources that undermines development across the continent, South African officials revealed Wednesday as the 27th INTERPOL African Regional Conference opened in Cape Town.
Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia delivered a stark warning about the escalating threat of transnational organised crime during his keynote address to delegates from across Africa and beyond, describing criminal networks that “transcend borders, exploit technological advances, and undermine the security of our people.”
The three-day conference, hosted at Century City, brings together police chiefs, law enforcement leaders, and security experts from across Africa to forge a coordinated continental response to crimes ranging from drug and human trafficking to cybercrime and terrorism.
“Transnational organised crime remains one of the most serious threats to peace, stability, and development across Africa and beyond,” Cachalia told the assembly, which includes INTERPOL President Major General Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi and Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.
Criminal Networks Evolving Faster Than Law Enforcement
The conference convenes as African nations grapple with increasingly sophisticated criminal enterprises that adapt quickly to new technologies and exploit weak border controls. Wildlife trafficking, money laundering, illicit firearms trade, and emerging cyber threats top the agenda for delegates seeking practical solutions to cross-border crimes.
“The evolving nature of criminal activities, the emergence of new trends, and the use of sophisticated technologies by criminal networks compel us to constantly adapt our responses,” Cachalia emphasised, calling for “robust strategies and concrete implementation of agreed actions” at national, regional, and continental levels.
The massive financial losses from illicit flows represent resources desperately needed for development programs across a continent where millions still lack access to basic services. The stolen billions undermine efforts to achieve the African Union’s Agenda 2063 development goals and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
New African Committee to Coordinate Crime Fighting
A major outcome expected from the Cape Town conference is the establishment of an INTERPOL African Committee, designed to create a more structured and unified approach to combating transnational crime across the continent’s 54 nations.
“Such a Committee will enable us to approach transnational organised crime in Africa in a more structured, coherent and unified manner,” Cachalia said, describing the initiative as crucial for addressing “common challenges and achieving our shared aspirations for security and development.”
The committee would build on resolutions from the previous conference held in Luanda, Angola, in 2023, which called for increased information sharing across multiple crime categories, from wildlife trafficking to counter-terrorism operations.
Corruption Within Law Enforcement Agencies Targeted
In a candid acknowledgement of internal challenges, Cachalia emphasised the need to root out corruption within law enforcement agencies themselves. “In order to be efficient and credible, every organisation needs to ensure that its members are professional, capable, qualified and honourable,” he declared.
The minister called for leaders who “serve with integrity” and stressed the importance of strengthening INTERPOL’s Regional and National Central Bureaus, describing these institutions as “critical nodes in our collective security architecture.”
Technology and Cooperation Key to Solutions
Conference organisers highlight the critical role of enhanced data sharing and law enforcement liaisons across the continent as key measures to curb illicit financial flows. Integrated operations between various law enforcement agencies are seen as essential to dismantling criminal networks that operate across multiple jurisdictions.
The emphasis on technological solutions reflects the reality that criminal organisations increasingly use sophisticated digital tools to coordinate operations, launder money, and evade traditional law enforcement methods.
As African leaders gather in Cape Town, the continent faces a pivotal moment in its fight against organised crime. The success of their deliberations could determine whether Africa can stem the massive financial haemorrhage that undermines its development prospects and threatens the security of its one billion people.
