Under the WAPIS (West Africa Police Information System/AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) Project, INTERPOL, with the European Union and the national authorities, officially launched the implementation of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) in The Gambia.
Implementing AFIS marks a milestone in the European Union and INTERPOL's commitment to increase the capacity of law enforcement agencies to identify suspects, match fingerprints from crime scenes and link criminal cases through scientifically based evidence.
Bringing biometric data to the existing national police information system implemented under the WAPIS Programme, the AFIS system will consolidate the national database available to law enforcement agencies.
Over the coming months, INTERPOL will assist Gambian LEAs (Law enforcement agencies) to tailor the national AFIS system to fit the legal and criminal investigation requirements specific to the country.
Together with the AFIS service provider, THALES, INTERPOL will coordinate the execution of the product delivery and ensure that all parties collaborate towards the successful deployment of the AFIS technology.
On behalf of the National Security Advisor, Director Mulai Colley highlighted that the AFIS Project is part of the security sector reform process undertaken by the government. He also lauded the Project for contributing to regional and international cooperation.
Participating in the event, the chargé d'affaires of the European Union, Raphaël Brigandi, stated: "AFIS represents a significant step forward in modernising the approach to criminal justice and policing. It actually represents a Copernican revolution by enabling The Gambia to move from a culture of confession to a culture of proof."
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Herve Raffourt, Senior Project Manager of the WAPIS/AFIS Project emphasised that the AFIS technology will be solely and fully owned and operated by the Gambian law enforcement agencies and that no data will be accessed by external parties, unless specifically authorised.
CP Samba Jawo, representing the Inspector General of the Gambia Police Force (GPF), emphasised that the AFIS technology will "enhance the way [Gambia] handles fingerprint data and investigations and that it will "greatly enhance the [country's] ability to solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice".
On behalf of the IGP, he thanked the stakeholders for their support and guidance. He also commended the "hard work and dedication of the [Gambian] officers at the forefront of implementing [the AFIS] technology
To conclude, Mr. Brigandi and Mr. Raffourt thanked the national institutions for expressing their commitment to work together and collaboratively during the implementation phase of the Gambian AFIS technology.
The WAPIS/AFIS Project is implemented in the ECOWAS member states and Mauritania. It is funded by the European Union, under the political guidance of ECOWAS, and coordinated by INTERPOL with technical support of CIVIPOL.
