Republic of Palau Becomes the 196th Member of INTERPOL

Vienna, Austria, November 29: In a historic decision at the 91st General Assembly of INTERPOL, the Republic of Palau has been formally admitted as the organization’s newest member country, marking the total membership to 196 nations. The approval, achieved by a more than two-thirds majority vote, was made during the assembly currently convened in Vienna, Austria, where INTERPOL was established a century ago.

Gustav Aitaro, the State Minister of Palau, addressed the General Assembly, expressing the nation’s commitment to maintaining peace, security, and safeguarding the cultural heritage inherited from its forebears. Aitaro highlighted the critical role of INTERPOL in supporting the future of Palau’s police force and ensuring the well-being of its community.

Palau’s immediate membership grants the country participation and voting rights for the remainder of the ongoing session. Secretary General Jürgen Stock extended a warm welcome to Palau, emphasizing its significant role in the global fight against transnational organized crime. He stated, “We warmly welcome Palau to the international law enforcement community. It will play an important role in helping close the global net around transnational organized crime. Likewise, we look forward to supporting Palau in its efforts to protect its citizens and environment.”

As part of its membership obligations, Palau will establish its National Central Bureau (NCB), fully staffed and operated by national law enforcement bodies. NCBs serve as the single point of contact between the member country and INTERPOL’s General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, France, as well as other NCBs worldwide.

INTERPOL membership grants Palau immediate access to a global network for sharing and receiving crucial policing information related to various crime areas, including human trafficking, drug smuggling, cybercrime, vehicle crime, and terrorism. Palau will also benefit from the policing capabilities provided by the General Secretariat, encompassing training, analysis, specialist teams, and support from the Command and Coordination Centre.

Through I-24/7, INTERPOL’s secure global police communications network, Palau will have the ability to send and receive messages and access multiple global databases. This includes information on wanted persons, stolen motor vehicles, lost travel documents, fingerprints, DNA, and facial recognition. It is emphasized that INTERPOL respects the sovereignty of each member country, with full ownership and control over the data shared, ensuring a cooperative yet sovereign approach to international law enforcement.