This series has examined the structure of INTERPOL’s various bodies and the responsibilities that each body holds.
One of those bodies, the CCF, is of primary concern to Red Notice subjects as it determines the outcome of requests for removal and correction. The CCF’s overall focus and direction is impacted by the Secretary General of the organization. Today’s post focuses on the importance of INTERPOL’s upcoming election as related to the Secretary General position.
INTERPOL’s Secretary General position
The next Secretary General of INTERPOL will be determined this coming November. The Secretary General is the Organization’s chief official and is appointed for a five-year term in office, which can be renewed once for a second five-year term by the General Assembly. The second term of the current INTERPOL Secretary General, Jürgen Stock, will finish at the 92nd General Assembly in Glasgow, United Kingdom in November 2024.
The Secretary General is the most powerful INTERPOL position and is responsible for the General Secretariat, overseeing its day-to-day activities and ensuring that it implements the decisions of the General Assembly and Executive Committee.
The call for candidates and election process
INTERPOL states that the process of selecting the next Secretary General officially began in July of 2023 with a call for candidates sent to all INTERPOL member countries. After that, during the first phase of the decision process, the Executive Committee reviewed all applications and drew up a shortlist of candidates. During the second phase, which took place during the second quarter of 2024, the Executive Committee interviewed shortlisted candidates. After the interviews, the Executive Committee selects a candidate to propose to INTERPOL’s General Assembly for appointment as Secretary General along with a report that attests to the integrity of the selection process and describes the successive stages that led to the Committee’s final choice, as well as the background of the proposed candidate. The General Assembly then determines INTERPOL’s next Secretary General based on a simple majority vote.
Candidates for the Secretary General position
Candidates for INTERPOL’s next Secretary General Include:
- Mr. Stephen Kavanaugh
- Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Current functions: INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services
- Mr. Mubita Nawa
- Country: Republic of Zambia
- Current functions: Director – Administration, Zambia Police Service
- Mr. Faisal Shahkar
- Country: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
- Current functions: United Nations Police Advisor & Head of UN Police Division
- Mr. Valdecy Urquiza
- Country: Federative Republic of Brazil
- Current functions: Director for International Cooperation, Brazilian Federal Police / INTERPOL Vice-President for the Americas
Throughout Jürgen Stock’s term, there have been some reforms in INTERPOL’s processes which have made the organization less vulnerable to abuse. The next election is especially significant, as the next Secretary General will be responsible for continuing to move the organization forward and building upon the existing improvements to INTERPOL’s systems.
As always, thoughts and comments are welcomed.
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