(photo credit: INTERPOL/Associated Press)

As described by INTERPOL, the candidacy of Valdecy Urquiza will be submitted to INTERPOL’s  General Assembly for endorsement during its meeting later this year in Glasgow, Scotland. If endorsed by a majority of INTERPOL’s 196 member countries, he will assume office at the end of the term of the current Secretary General – Mr. Jürgen Stock of Germany – on 7 November 2024.

If elected, Mr. Urquiza will hold the position for 5 years. As the Secretary General, Mr. Urquiza will be:

• Head of the General Secretariat 
• INTERPOL’s principal spokesperson
• Facilitator of INTERPOL’s budget and General Assembly decisions

The process of selecting the next Secretary General began in July 2023 with a call for candidates sent to all INTERPOL member countries. (We discussed the candidates and their backgrounds in our most recent series.) The Executive Committee reviewed all applications during its session in March 2024 and drew up a shortlist of candidates. The Executive Committee interviewed the shortlisted candidates at its session in June 2024, after which it made its recommendation.

INTERPOL’s executive committee has already selected Mr. Urquiza as its proposed Secretary General. His candidacy will be determined by a simple majority vote of the delegates at INTERPOL’s next General Assembly. 

Our next post will consider the possible implications of Mr. Urquiza’s candidacy.

As always, thoughts and comments are welcomed.

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