Source: Interpol (news and events)
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The creation of a new INTERPOL Regional Bureau for North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken an important step forward.
The ‘Host Country Agreement’ was signed at a ceremony attended by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of the Interior, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Saud Bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi and INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.Aimed at strengthening INTERPOL’s engagement with the MENA region, the new Regional Bureau will serve as a hub for the Organization’s activities in supporting member countries in combating transnational crime and terrorism.
It will also work closely with existing national and regional structures, such as the Arab Interiors Ministers’ Council, GCCPOL, and the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences to strengthen cooperation and information sharing.
INTERPOL Secretary General (L) and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of the Interior (R) sign the agreement
The establishment of the Regional Bureau was first proposed in 2016 at the INTERPOL Chiefs of Police Meeting for the MENA region. The plan was subsequently endorsed by INTERPOL’s General Assembly in Santiago, Chile, in 2019, with final approval for the Host Country Agreement from the Executive Committee in May 2024.
The Agreement incorporates principles essential to ensuring the Regional Bureau’s proper functioning. The next steps in finalizing the creation and opening of the Regional Bureau will cover the financial, administrative, security and logistical aspects.