Abu Dhabi Hosts 15th UN Crime Prevention Congress and Adopts Declaration

The 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice – Abu Dhabi 2026 opened on Saturday at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi in the presence of UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sharjah24 reported via WAM. Running until 1 October, the gathering convenes ministers, senior officials, judges, prosecutors, experts, and delegates representing governments, international bodies, the private sector, academia, and civil society.

The opening session saw the formal adoption of the Abu Dhabi Declaration, the conference's central political and strategic outcome document designed to direct global priorities in crime prevention, criminal justice, and the rule of law over the next five years. According to the report, the declaration is structured around four pillars: prevention and resilience; justice and the rule of law; evolving and converging criminal threats; and innovation and cooperation.

Official attendance included over 32 justice and interior ministers and delegates from more than 97 countries, alongside leaders from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In an opening address, UAE Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Federal Judicial Council Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi stated that the event builds upon the previous Kyoto Congress and highlighted the UAE's judicial development and commitment to multilateral partnerships.

Substantive discussions across the congress programme will address cross-border crime, money laundering, cybercrime, online fraud, terrorist financing, human and drug trafficking, and environmental offences. Sessions are also scheduled to focus on regulatory and enforcement challenges surrounding virtual assets, financial technology, electronic evidence, and the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence within judicial systems.