'The Ugandan police have been working very closely with INTERPOL and police in our neighbouring countries during recent months to ensure that the delegates can meet and work in the most secure environment possible,' said Dr Rugunda.

INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble met with Dr Rugunda and Inspector-General of the Ugandan Police, Major General Kale Kayihura, to finalise arrangements for INTERPOL’s support for the three-day conference, which will take place from 23-25 November.

'A significant security operation has been mounted by the Ugandan Police, and while there is no specific intelligence to suggest that this meeting is a target, every officer involved in securing this event will remain vigilant to all potential threats,' said Major General Kayihura.

An INTERPOL Major Event Support Team (IMEST) composed of police and technical officers from INTERPOL’s Sub-Regional Bureau in Nairobi and the Command and Co-ordination Centre at the General Secretariat will deploy to Kampala to provide 24-hour assistance to the Ugandan Police.

The team will also assist to ensure the smooth functioning of INTERPOL’s I-24/7 global police communications system to enable Ugandan authorities to send and receive messages to police in any of INTERPOL’s 186 member countries or access INTERPOL’s databases whenever necessary.

'The Ugandan authorities are in the process of implementing extensive and thorough security measures for this meeting,' said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

'Along with the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation and the South African Police Service, INTERPOL is pleased to be working alongside the Ugandan Police in providing technical and analytical support.'

During his visit, Mr Noble saw the progress made on the installation of Mobile INTERPOL Network Devices (MIND) at Ugandan Police headquarters, meeting venues and at the international airport. Uganda will be the first country in Africa to give officers instant, remote access to INTERPOL’s databases using MIND. Mr Noble was also updated on the expansion of access to I-24/7 beyond the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Kampala.

INTERPOL provided similar support during the 2005 meeting of the World Trade Organization in Hong Kong, as well as for major sporting events such as the World Cup football championships in Germany and the Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, both in 2006.

The biennial summit brings together the heads of the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth, which together comprise 30 per cent of the world’s population.