INTERPOL partners Rwanda for training on cyber-enabled human trafficking

INTERPOL has taken another step in the fight against cyber enabled crimes, with a particular emphasis on the human trafficking component of the crime.

The world’s largest police organization has teamed up with the Rwanda National Police (RNP) to pool together experts in cyber crimes to conduct a table-top training session in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, starting Monday August 29.

Who are involved and the duration?

The gathering will pool some 90 participants from more than 30 countries for the five-day program ( 29 August – 2 September)

The focus areas of the exercise

Codenamed ‘‘Exercise Cyber Tracks,’‘ it focuses on three areas:

• Cyber-enabled crime and digital forensics
• The use of INTERPOL’s global policing capabilities; and
• Investigations into human trafficking and gender-based and sexual violence.

Investigating #cyber-enabled crimes focus of joint Rwandapolice and INTERPOL exercise - https://t.co/YyVKl0PxPg pic.twitter.com/2wpzzinGg8

— INTERPOL (INTERPOL_HQ) August 29, 2016

IGCI boss speaks on joint training

Executive Director of the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore underlined the danger that cyber related crimes posed to global peace and security. He also stated the need for security agencies to be abreast with knowledge and skills to combat cyber criminals.

“This exercise undertaken jointly with the RNP is unique as it focuses on two distinctly different yet related areas: human trafficking, a particularly pernicious crime that preys on the most vulnerable members of society, and cyber-enabled crime, which underpins all forms of crime,” said Noboru Nakatani.

Rwanda’s IGP on the cooperation

‘‘The Rwandan government is delighted to host the cyber-enabled crime exercise and thanks African countries for their trust. True to our policing tradition, actions and programmes must always be demand-driven; cyber-related crimes are on the increase and this justifies not only why we are conducting this exercise, but also the decision by the Eastern African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) to establish a regional cyber crime centre in Kigali, for which a foundation stone will be laid during the exercise,” said Rwanda’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Emmanuel Gasana.

How the IGCI functions

Through the IGCI, INTERPOL’s global capabilities to combat cybercrime include information sharing and analysis through its Cyber Fusion Centre, global coordination in cybercrime investigations, digital forensics through its Digital Forensics Library, and cybercrime training.