UN Crime Congress Opens in Abu Dhabi: How Countries Plan to Address Cybercrime and New Threats

What opened in Abu Dhabi

The 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice has begun in the UAE capital. It is being held at ADNEC from September 26 to October 1, 2026, according to the UN’s official event page.

Organizers expected between 3,000 and 5,000 participants, representatives of more than 97 countries, over 32 ministers and 93 expert speakers. This is not an operational police meeting. Held every five years, the congress sets international direction for law, justice systems and cooperation among governments.

Why digital issues are central

Criminal networks rapidly adopt new technology and use digital platforms for fraud, trafficking, exploitation and moving illicit proceeds. At the same time, digital tools can help analyze cases, widen access to justice and identify links across incidents.

At the opening, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed called for rights-based digital government and stronger international cooperation. According to the UAE’s official WAM news agency, she said technologies shaping humanity’s future must be shaped with participation from every country and generation.

What delegates are discussing

The main program has four pillars: crime prevention; inclusive and people-centered justice; responses to organized crime, terrorism and evolving threats; and international cooperation, training and technical assistance.

The practical agenda covers cybercrime, responsible use of AI in justice, protection of victims and witnesses, the rights of women and children, recovery of criminal assets, corruption and illicit financial flows. A central question is how to use algorithms without allowing opaque decisions to become a source of discrimination.

What outcome is expected

The Abu Dhabi Declaration is intended to be the principal political document. The advance program frames priorities for the next five years around prevention and resilience, justice and the rule of law, evolving and converging threats, and innovation and cooperation.

The declaration does not itself rewrite national laws or create a supranational police force. Its effect would emerge later through legal-assistance agreements, national programs, standards for treating victims and rules governing technology.

For Kazakhstan, such agreements matter wherever crime crosses borders: online fraud, money laundering, human trafficking, illicit asset transfers and obtaining electronic evidence from another jurisdiction.

The cover is an editorial illustration and is not a photograph of the meeting.