Glasgow, United Kingdom: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer opened the INTERPOL General Assembly, highlighting the importance of global police cooperation in combating widespread organized crime.
The General Assembly serves as INTERPOL’s highest governing authority, comprising representatives from its 196 member nations.
With around 1,000 participants, it stands as the largest international gathering of senior law enforcement officials who determine INTERPOL’s operational direction.
This year, the Assembly will elect a new Secretary General, with Valdecy Urquiza of Brazil as the Executive Committee’s nominee.
As INTERPOL’s chief full-time official, the Secretary General oversees 1,200 personnel across the organization’s 15 global duty stations.
The Assembly will also appoint nine new members to INTERPOL’s 13-member Executive Committee, responsible for implementing Assembly decisions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer remarked, “This General Assembly unites the world’s security experts. Your cross-border cooperation saves lives time and again, and it is your unified efforts that bring organized criminals to justice, no matter where they attempt to hide.”
In his opening address, INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi commented:
“From the increase in organized crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism to challenges posed by climate change and migration, our ability to adapt and innovate is essential. This Assembly offers member countries a chance to engage in meaningful dialogue, share intelligence, and strengthen collaborative approaches.”
The Assembly will also consider a series of motions guiding the organization’s work in areas such as counter-terrorism, lawful access to digital evidence, and child protection.
INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock noted, “INTERPOL was founded to support police by enabling cross-border information exchange, a mission that continues to drive our work today. We’ve made INTERPOL’s systems more integrated, our tools more advanced, and our response more unified than ever.”
British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also addressed attendees, saying, “International security and domestic security are interconnected. This is why INTERPOL remains essential to public safety.”
On its first day, the Assembly introduced the INTERPOL Law Enforcement Academy, an educational center offering various professional development programs.
Located at INTERPOL’s Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore, the Academy will include an Executive Leadership Program for senior police leaders worldwide, with member nations invited to nominate candidates for its inaugural cohort.
Secretary General Stock added, “Some skills are best learned through direct collaboration. We must prepare the next generation of police leaders with the expertise needed to navigate a rapidly evolving world.”
