The UAE has participated in the second meeting of police chiefs in the Middle East and North Africa, MENA, region, which was held at the headquarters of the International Criminal Police Organisation, INTERPOL, in Lyon, France.

Major General Abdul Aziz Al Sharaifi, Director of Preventive Security at the Ministry of Interior, led the UAE's delegation at the meeting.

The meeting focussed on maximising the use of INTERPOL’s global policing capabilities to address national and regional threats.

Bringing together over 40 senior law enforcement officials from 15 countries and representatives of the Arab Interior Ministers Council and the Gulf Cooperation Council Police Force, GCCPOL, the meeting enabled its participants to share updates and discuss challenges and improvements a year after their first gathering.

With an increasing amount of police information being shared by MENA countries on a range of crimes, including terrorism, people smuggling and cybercrime, identifying areas for enhanced co-operation through INTERPOL was a key topic of the meeting.