The UAE has pledged up to $5 million over the next five years to support the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, as the 15th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice opened in the capital on Saturday.
The declaration, which was approved and adopted by state members, is intended to provide a framework for international efforts on crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law through to 2031. The UAE is to contribute $1 million a year to help turn the declaration into concrete measures.
The pledge was announced by Abdullah Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Justice, who called on other countries and international partners to join the initiative.
“The UAE strongly supports the initiative to ensure the commitment will translate to measurable action,” he said. “On behalf of the UAE, I will make the first pledge. The UAE pledges to provide a total financial contribution of up to $5 million over the five years, with an annual contribution of $1 million.”
The declaration comprises 18 articles and 67 paragraphs, organised around four central areas: prevention and resilience; justice and the rule of law; evolving and converging criminal threats; and innovation and co-operation.
“We encourage member states and international partners to join the initiative. Together we can ensure the outcome of this congress will be a lasting action,” Mr Al Nuaimi added.
Officials meet in Abu Dhabi
More than 110 countries and 5,100 participants and delegations led by more than 50 ministers have gathered in Abu Dhabi for the congress.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, welcomed those attending the congress in a post on X.
"Safe and just societies are a shared responsibility, and lasting solutions are built through dialogue, cooperation and the sharing of expertise," he said. "Abu Dhabi unites the world behind one goal: safeguarding people, advancing the rule of law, and shaping a more secure and stable future for all."
Technology is expected to feature prominently throughout the summit. It is tool increasingly used by criminals, while also helping to strengthen law enforcement.
Monica Juma, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, warned that criminal networks were exploiting artificial intelligence, digital currencies and other technology at a pace that is challenging the ability of governments to respond.
“Technology is no longer simply accelerating existing criminal activity, but is changing the nature of crime itself,” she said. “The same digital currencies that move legitimate money are also being appropriated by criminals to conceal their profits. The same digital tools that bring people together can also be turned against them to deceive, manipulate and exploit.”
Ms Juma called for stronger international co-operation to tackle cyber crime.
“If crime can cross borders at the click of a button, our co-operation must be agile and able to move just as quickly,” she said. “A declaration is only as good as its implementation."
Criminals exploit tech
That warning was echoed by UN deputy secretary general Amina Mohammed, who said criminal networks were exploiting technology, governance gaps and vulnerabilities created by conflict, poverty and exclusion.
Technology can strengthen justice systems and improve access to services, Ms Mohammed added, but it was also being used to enable fraud, trafficking, exploitation and organised crime across borders.
She called for digital governance rooted in human rights and stronger international co-operation, while warning that women and girls face increasing technology-enabled violence and abuse.
Japan's Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita said the Abu Dhabi congress should build on the legacy of the 2021 event in Kyoto and stressed Japan's efforts to strengthen criminal justice initiatives around the world.
"Combatting crime, promoting the rule of law and building safe and just societies are common goals that no country or region can achieve alone," he said.
Mr Al Nuaimi said the congress came at a pivotal moment as artificial intelligence, smart systems and emerging technology rapidly reshape societies while creating new opportunities for criminals.
“The world is facing rising levels of crime and violence, alongside new forms of criminality and the expansion of transnational organised crime, cyber crime, financial crime, human trafficking, terrorism, money laundering and terrorist financing,” he said. “These challenges require stronger international co-operation.”
The UAE has developed extensive judicial partnerships and agreements covering civil and criminal matters and efforts to tackle crime, Mr Al Nuaimi said. He described such initiatives as instruments for strengthening international stability and protecting rights.
He said the congress represented a shift "from responding to crime to anticipating and preventing it", as well as a move from individual national efforts towards international partnerships based on knowledge, data and evidence.
