The UAE officially assumed the presidency of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on Saturday, welcoming delegates from over 110 countries to Abu Dhabi for the largest gathering in the event’s 71-year history. UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi was elected president of the congress, which brought together more than 5,100 government representatives. In his opening address, Al Nuaimi warned of an evolving generation of cross-border criminal activity powered by artificial intelligence and multi-agent systems, urging member states to adopt the Abu Dhabi Declaration as a binding five-year strategic roadmap to close international legislative gaps.

The summit, running through October 1, focuses on critical security threats including cybercrime, human trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism financing, while balancing law enforcement imperatives with offender rehabilitation. Dr. Monica Juma, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), reported that over 40 preliminary pledges have already been submitted by member states and called on governments to accelerate the signing and ratification of the UN Convention against Cybercrime to reinforce multilateral legal frameworks.