Ms Sanna Palo elected to INTERPOL Executive Committee
Today, 3 November, Detective Chief Superintendent Sanna Palo was elected as a member of the INTERPOL Executive Committee for three years. Ms Palo represents Europe in the Committee. This is the first time that the Executive Committee has a member from Finland. The decision was made at the INTERPOL General Assembly, which met on 31 October - 3 November in Hanoi.
Finland was represented at the meeting by a delegation appointed by the Minister of the Interior. The delegation was headed by Director-General Kauko Aaltomaa from the Ministry of the Interior, and other members were Deputy National Commissioner Kari Rantama from the National Police Board and Detective Chief Superintendent Sanna Palo from the National Bureau of Investigation.
"This appointment is important for the international operations of the Finnish Police. The members of the Executive Committee can strongly influence the further development of INTERPOL operations and international police cooperation," Director of International and EU Affairs Erkki Hämäläinen from the Ministry of the Interior points out.
INTERPOL is an international police organisation with 190 member countries at present. The members of the Executive Committee are elected by the General Assembly. The Executive Committee is chaired by the President of INTERPOL (currently Mr Khoo Boon Hui), and other members are the Vice-Presidents and nine Delegates. When members are elected, the aim is to ensure equitable geographical distribution.
The practical operations of INTERPOL are handled by the General Secretariat, located in Lyon, France. The current Secretary General is Mr Ronald K. Noble.
Each member country has a National Central Bureau (NCB) which functions as the national focal point in international police cooperation. Ms Sanna Palo is the head of International Affairs of the National Bureau of Investigation, and at the same time the Head of the NCB Finland.
INTERPOL was officially established in 1923. Finland became its member in 1928. The General Assembly of INTERPOL was held in Finland in 1963, and at that time, a Finn, Mr Fjalar Jarva, was elected President of INTERPOL. Mr Jarva held office in 1963-1964.
For further information, please contact Director of International and EU Affairs Erkki Hämäläinen, tel. +358 71 878 8570.