Justicia Shipena
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has endorsed major general Anne-Marie Nainda of Namibia as its candidate for president of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). The endorsement was delivered on Friday through Kula Theletsane, the director of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs.
Theletane expressed SADC’s honour by endorsing Nainda, hailing her as a respected law enforcement leader with decades of service, integrity, and professionalism.
He said her [Nainda’s] background in policing, security cooperation, and combating transnational crime makes her well suited to lead the world’s largest police body.
The election will take place during the 93rd INTERPOL General Assembly from today until Thursday in Marrakech, Morocco.
On Friday, the Namibian Police Force hosted a farewell dinner for Nainda.
Nainda currently serves as the Interpol executive committee delegate for Africa and has more than two decades of experience in policing and international cooperation.
Earlier this month, senior government leaders gathered to rally diplomatic support for Nainda.
International relations and trade minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi and home affairs minister Lucia Iipumbu had said that Namibia is presenting a highly qualified and regionally endorsed candidate ready to lead Interpol at a time of rising transnational crime.
Nainda, who is also Namibia’s deputy inspector general responsible for administration, has 33 years of experience in crime prevention, investigations, policing administration and international cooperation.
She has qualifications in international relations, public administration, law and specialised policing.
Her international experience includes serving as a specialised regional officer at Interpol’s regional bureau in Harare and working extensively within SARPCCO.
She helped establish the SARPCCO Women’s Network and the Namibian Police Women’s Network, which highlighted her commitment to advancing gender equity in the security sector.
If elected, she would lead an organisation with 195 member countries.
