Police leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region recently gathered in Cairo for an INTERPOL meeting.
This meeting featured high-level discussions focused on strengthening international police cooperation and coordinating responses to the region’s most pressing security challenges.
The two-day (1 and 2 September) INTERPOL meeting served as a strategic platform for Police Chiefs to share leadership perspectives on transnational organised crime, national security priorities and the jurisdictional challenges posed by emerging threats.
Central to the discussions was the enhancement of regional coordination and the adoption of the new INTERPOL Operational Task Force Model to ensure a more agile and integrated response to criminal networks.
Key agenda issues included the disruption of illicit supply chains, specifically those behind drug trafficking, human trafficking and migrant smuggling, as well as the combatting of money laundering and illicit finance.
Protecting digital infrastructure
Addressing the rise of “crime-as-a-service,” ransomware and other cyber-enabled threats which target the region’s digital infrastructure, delegates were also briefed on the recent success of Operation Ramz.
This first-of-its-kind coordinated cyber operation in the MENA region involved 13 countries and led to the arrest of 201 individuals, with a further 382 suspects identified.
Focusing on neutralising phishing and malware threats, as well as tackling cyber scams that inflict severe cost to the region, nearly 8,000 pieces of crucial data and intelligence were disseminated among participating countries to initiate and support investigations.
The meeting also featured contributions from regional partners, including the Arab Interior Ministers Council, the Gulf Cooperation Council Police Organisation (GCCPOL) and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences.
The gathering concluded with member country proposals for regional joint operations in 2027 to combat priority crime threats, ensuring that the MENA region remains resilient against the evolving threat of transnational organised crime.
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