Page 72 - 40th Summit Brochure 2020

intelligence personnel from SADC Mem-
ber States were trained in Conflict Man-
agement, Counter Intelligence, and
Leadership in Counter Intelligence. This
initiative was also aimed at harmonizing
intelligence skills in Member States and
enhancing the REWS.

Towards a Regional UNIVISA Reviewing Protocol
Although the movement of persons was on the Control of
temporarily restricted by the outbreak of the Firearms
Covid-19, the Public Security Sector fo- In order to
cused on the future by f nalising the UNI- strengthen capacity
VISA Legal Instrument in November 2019. of Member States to
T e instrument is intended to guide the combat illicit traf-
processes of issuing the SADC UNIVISA f cking of small arms
for increased tourist traf c in the region in and light weapons in
the context of a safe public security envi- the region, the Police
ronment. Sector also convened a Task Team Meeting
T e development of a UNIVISA or sin- to review the SADC Protocol on the Control
gle visa system in SADC seeks to promote of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Re-
the tourism industry by making it easier for lated Materials to broaden the scope of ap-
tourists and travellers to move smoothly plication of the Protocol to include
across borders and between Member States. conventional weapons; align it with the in-
Currently, travellers from outside SADC are ternational conventions and incorporate
expected to apply for visas each time they contemporary best practices and standards
want to move from one country to another for prevention and combating illicit prolif- 69
in the region, a situation most travellers say eration, circulation and traf cking of
is costly and a barrier to movement within f rearms, ammunition and related material.
the region. Under the SADC UNIVISA, vis- The Police Sector, in partnership with the
itors to the region would be expected to INTERPOL Regional Bureau in Harare, also
apply only once for a visa that would allow conducted an inter-regional joint and simul-
them to move from one country to another taneous operation in member states of the
without getting another visa.
SADC and Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Co-
operation Organization (EAPCCO). T e op-
Combating Transnational Crime eration targeted cross-border and
Related to the initiatives, the Police Sector
provided technical capacity to Member transnational organized crime syndicates in-
volved in traf cking of drugs, traf cking in
States to combat Transnational Organized persons, small arms and light weapons, vehi-
Crime through regional training of Train- cle thef , illegal precious metals, and other re-
ers. A total of 32 officials were trained on lated crimes. T e ef ect of this operation was
cybercrime; 32 on small arms, light to enhance public security in the region.
weapons, International Criminal Police
Organisation (INTERPOL) Illicit Arms
Record and Tracing Systems (iARMS); Gender Based Violence
while 60 were trained on firearms mark- T e Directorate contributed to the develop-
ing. The delivery of the technical skills ment of the SADC Strategy on Gender
among law enforcement officers in the re- Based Violence by providing some of the
gion is intended to strengthen law and provisions and priorities, and also helped in
order and, therefore, provide for a secure disseminating the Strategy in the three of -
environment for the achievement of the cial SADC languages, to enhance awareness
broader regional integration agenda. of GBV in the region