Media

Media Alert

3 November 2004

The Independent Complaints Directorate will be attending the first meeting of the Steering Committee for the African Policing Oversight Forum (APCOF) on 4 - 5 November 2004 in Abuja, Nigeria. This emanates from the Policing Oversight for Africa conference held in January 2004 and hosted by the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD).

The purpose of the ICD conference was to advocate and lobby for external policing oversight, as well as the establishment of a chapter for policing oversight, in Africa. The conference, which drew the participation of over a hundred representatives of civilian oversight bodies and civil society groups in Africa, Europe, North America and the Caribbean, witnessed presentations on such themes as the concept of civilian oversight of policing; internal/external oversight of policing; critical stakeholders for effective civilian oversight; lobbying support for policing oversight and accountability.

Conference delegates were unanimous in voicing a pressing need to address police abuse and improve service delivery by police forces across Africa. In discussions of regional mechanisms in Africa, delegates made a call for the creation of a regional forum to champion the development of independent complaint mechanisms. The resolution of the conference was to establish a Steering Committee that will work toward the creation of the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF), with its secretariat housed at the ICD, Pretoria.

This meeting is funded and facilitated by the Open Society Foundation of South Africa.

The Steering Committee, at its meeting in Abuja, Nigeria will be discussing some of the following issues:

The mandate and role of APCOF. Prospective issues for the mandate include the following:

• Promoting fair treatment of citizens by police in the African continent;
• Standard setting for civilian oversight bodies in Africa;
• Promoting the establishment of civilian oversight bodies in countries where they do not currently exist;
• Development of standards and best practices;
• Exchange of information and provision of capacity building support;
• Campaigning for better resource allocation for policing accountability;
• Promoting better working conditions for police officers;
• Promoting international dialogue with other oversight forums or agencies;
• Evaluating the effectiveness and performance of oversight bodies in Africa;
• Developing reporting mechanisms to the Forum.

" Plan of Action:

• Preparation and presentation of the workshop at the African Commission for Human and People's Rights (ACHPR), both at the civil society forum and the Commission session;
  
• Conducting an audit of issues of police conduct and existence and work of those oversight bodies that currently exist;
  
• Outreach and advocacy;
  
• Development of a resourcing plan addressing issues of sustainability.

The Executive Director of the ICD, Adv KD McKenzie is a member of the steering committee, She will be attending the meeting in Nigeria with the two ICD managers who are the members of the APCOF Secretariat.

Other member countries serving on the steering committee Include, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda, Cameroon and Sudan.

Steve Mabona
ICD National Spokesperson
082 809 1927