Credit: Interpol.int / United Nations And The International Police Organization (INTERPOL) Collaborate On Countering Terror And Transnational Organized Crime

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC TIMES

United Nations – New York – The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has called for increased cooperation with INTERPOL in countering terrorism and combating transnational organized crime including human trafficking, migrant smuggling and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  On Nov. 21, 2016, the UN GA adopted Resolution (71/19):  Cooperation between the United Nations and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).  The Resolution  acknowledged that “INTERPOL has been a key actor since 1923 in enabling and promoting international police cooperation in order to prevent and combat transnational crime, in particular transnational organized crime, through enhanced police cooperation among its member countries as well as in fostering innovation in police and law enforcement matters.”   INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock addressed the UN General Assembly  Monday Nov. 26, 2018 to highlight some of the challenges with regard to  Resolution (71/19). 

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock addressed the UN General Assembly which has endorsed increased cooperation with INTERPOL in countering terrorism and transnational organized crime. Credit: (UN Photo/ Loey Philipe) 

“The fight against international crime is an instrument in bringing about global peace and stability. Its core lies in law enforcement, yet its roots and ramifications extend far beyond the strict boundaries of Ministries and agencies in charge of policing.”

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock – United Nations General Assembly Nov. 26, 2018.

Credit: (UN PHOTO/ Loey Philipe) /  Secretary General Jürgen Stock addresses UN General Assembly Nov. 26, 2018 on importance of UN-INTERPOL cooperation. 

In addition, the  UN GA Resolution calls for the strengthening of cooperation between the UN and INTERPOL within their respective mandates, in tackling terrorism, including preventing foreign terrorist fighter travel, and combating transnational crime, in particular transnational organized crime, including smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, intentional and unlawful destruction of cultural heritage and trafficking in cultural property, piracy, illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  According  to INTERPOL, by  endorsing the review of GA Resolution 71/19 (2016), “UN member states recognized the importance of providing INTERPOL with information from battlefields, counter-terrorism military operations and national prison systems to increase the chances of positively identifying terrorists.”

The INTERPOL Chief also highlighted that biometric data recovered from improvised explosive devices in the Middle East and North Africa, and shared via INTERPOL, has resulted in the identification of suspects in Europe and Asia.   Stock said that since the Resolution’s first adoption in 2016, the transnational threat landscape has evolved to pose new and increasingly complex challenges, in large part driven by unprecedented technological advances and instability, worldwide. What remains a constant variable over time, however, is the determination of international criminal groups to seek to exploit national boundaries to evade the rule of law, he stated.

“Whilst the transnational threat landscape continues to evolve and pose new challenges, what remains constant is the determination of terrorists and organized crime groups to evade the rule of law,”  said Secretary General Stock. “Embracing and strengthening international law enforcement cooperation is the only way to stay ahead of the curve.

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 194 member countries.