Representatives of 11 organizations attached to the ASEAN Police Association (ASEANAPOL), as well as a dozen observers, are attending the 14th ASEANAPOL Contact Officers Meeting, which will last until July 5.

The event plays a fundamental role in strengthening partnerships and designing robust strategies to fight threats to global security, David Martinez, executive director of the bloc’s Secretariat, said at the opening of the forum.

The official asked participants to work to achieve close coordination among members to guarantee a peaceful and safe Southeast Asia.

Among the key areas examined by participants were reports on the situation of transnational organized crime and related trends in the region, the development of cooperative training initiatives, and the improvement of law enforcement capabilities among the police forces of the Member states.

The event also evaluates the possibility of expanding strategic partnerships with international organizations that share common objectives in the matter.

Last year, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat coordinated, in collaboration with its dialogue partner organizations and observers, more than 30 in-person and 14 online training courses for 620 police officers from the member nations of the bloc.

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