The National Criminal Investigations Academy (NCIA) has been formally admitted into the INTERPOL Global Academy Network at a signing ceremony held on Friday at INTERPOL Headquarters in Lyon, France.
The move marks a significant milestone in Kenya’s criminal investigations and international law enforcement cooperation.
The ceremony was attended by the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin, who reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to strengthening investigative capacity and deepening international partnerships in response to an increasingly complex security environment.
Speaking in his capacity as Africa’s Delegate to the INTERPOL Executive Committee, the Director DCI described the admission as “not a ceremonial gesture,” but a deliberate affirmation of Kenya’s readiness to contribute to and learn from the global community of police training institutions.
The Director DCI observed that criminal threats have fundamentally changed.
Cybercrime, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, financial crime, human trafficking and environmental crime are increasingly driven by networks that operate across national borders.
On his part, Urquiza Valdecy, the Secretary General of INTERPOL underscored the importance of INTERPOL’s continued commitment to strengthening global law enforcement cooperation through professional training, knowledge exchange and the development of investigative capacity.
Membership of the Network opens new opportunities for NCIA trainers to learn from leading institutions, exposes investigators to international best practices, and facilitates professional exchanges, joint curriculum development and collaborative research.
These opportunities will advance the Academy’s vision of becoming a Centre of Excellence in criminal investigations training, professional development and innovation.
Importantly, Kenya joins the Network not merely as a recipient, but as a committed contributor.
Drawing on Kenya’s operational experience in countering terrorism, dismantling organised crime networks, disrupting narcotics trafficking, investigating cybercrime and combating human trafficking, NCIA will consolidate and share the country’s expertise with the wider Network.
The Academy will also pursue joint training and capacity-building initiatives, particularly those benefiting Eastern Africa and the wider African continent.
The Director DCI emphasised that admission marks the beginning of a more demanding phase for the Academy, requiring stronger instructional capacity and modernised curricula responsive to emerging criminal threats.
He further expressed Kenya’s gratitude to INTERPOL, its Secretary General, and the Global Academy team for their rigorous assessment of the application and the confidence placed in NCIA.
