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AFSECOM: Towards a Secure Continental Police Communication Platform

AFSECOM: Towards a Secure Continental Police Communication Platform

Overview

AFRIPOL is committed to enhancing continental police cooperation through the development of secure digital infrastructure. As part of this strategic vision, AFRIPOL has designed the AFSECOM (AFRIPOL Secure Communication System) to serve as a future platform for secure, real-time, and confidential information exchange among African Union Member States’ police institutions. Once approved and fully operationalized, AFSECOM is expected to become a cornerstone of AFRIPOL’s technical support to law enforcement agencies, enabling better coordination in addressing transnational organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime, and other complex security threats.

Envisioned Capabilities of the AFSECOM System

  1. Strategic and Operational Coordination
    AFSECOM is designed to provide a secure and interoperable environment to facilitate real-time communication between national police agencies and AFRIPOL. It is being built to support timely information sharing, operational alerts, and coordination during joint operations, ultimately improving response time and operational cohesion.
  2. Enhancing Interagency and Cross-Border Cooperation
    AFSECOM is intended to serve as a key enabler of inter-agency and regional collaboration. Once in use, it will support structured cooperation between national, regional, and international actors, fostering trust and streamlining intelligence exchange.
  3. Supporting Field Operations
    The system architecture includes functionalities for operational teams to access relevant alerts, share suspect profiles, and coordinate movements across borders or jurisdictions, contributing to the swift identification and neutralization of criminal networks.
  4. Digital Platform for Training and Strategic Engagements
    AFSECOM is also envisioned as a virtual space for law enforcement training, policy dialogue, and coordination meetings. Its conferencing tools, document sharing capabilities, and real-time collaboration features will reduce costs and enhance the continuity of AFRIPOL’s capacity- building and coordination missions.
  5. Innovation and Scalability
    The platform’s architecture is being designed to integrate emerging technologies such as biometrics, AI-driven analysis, and digital traceability tools, ensuring that African police forces are equipped with modern and scalable solutions in line with global best practices.

Disclaimer:

AFSECOM is currently in its finalization phase. Its Rules and Regulations, a foundational component for implementation, have been approved by AFRIPOL’ Steering Committee in 2024 and will be submitted to the General Assembly of AFRIPOL for endorsement. The system in test phase, will become fully operational following formal institutional approval and subsequent endorsement by the competent African Union decision bodies. AFRIPOL remains committed to transparency and due process in this strategic endeavor.