Countries need to have clear and coordinated strategies to prevent cross-border crime.

Isabelle Kalihangabo, Deputy Secretary General of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), said this yesterday, July 6, during an event aimed at recognising the importance of greater cooperation between security agencies and their partners toward preventing crime.

The 4-day event, which began July 5, drew representatives of various security agencies from across member states of the East African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO).

Participants are discussing how they can work together in handling cross-border crimes, including sexual abuse.

"We are looking at how we could work together, with a focus on gender equality and expect that the outcomes would help the institutions involved," Kalihangabo said.

This would allow for regional countries to be on the same page, in terms of cross-border crime, she said, adding that they were working on a shared tool to guide member states in prosecuting cross-border crime.

Gideon Kimilu, EAPCCO secretary-general, said it was important that member states cooperate in addressing crime prevention.

He said: "We need partnership to prevent crime because it has no borders; it reaches out to families, to all countries, so it is very important that in the East African countries, we have some strategies for how to prevent crime."

The meeting also discussed the role of women in law-enforcement.