Abu Dhabi:The UAE is advancing its international judicial cooperation with a system that integrates robust legal frameworks, direct partnerships, rapid response, and digital transformation to prevent borders from being exploited by criminals. Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, the Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Federal Judicial Council, emphasized these developments during the meeting titled 'Strengthening International Judicial Cooperation The UAE Experience and Global Partnerships,' held as part of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
According to Emirates News Agency , Al Nuaimi highlighted the UAE's commitment to ensure that borders do not shield criminals or their assets. By tracing, freezing, seizing, and recovering proceeds of crime, the UAE aims to uphold the rule of law through effective judicial cooperation. The approach focuses on swift and practical international partnerships, direct communication, and maintaining consistency with the rule of law.
The UAE's cooperation efforts are supported by multilateral and bilateral agreements and domestic laws. The country is involved in 16 multilateral agreements and over 140 bilateral agreements with 53 countries, covering areas such as extradition and mutual legal assistance. Approximately 30% of these bilateral agreements were signed in the past five years, with several more in progress.
Federal laws in the UAE provide a strong basis for international cooperation, particularly concerning anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing. In instances where no treaty exists, the UAE applies reciprocity as a principle of customary international law.
Al Nuaimi noted a significant rise in international judicial cooperation requests from 2021 to 2025, with mutual legal assistance requests increasing by 244% and extradition requests by 235%. In 2025 alone, the UAE received 576 extradition requests and 547 mutual legal assistance requests, reflecting the trust international partners place in the UAE's legal system.
A notable case of cooperation involved the arrest of Daniel Kinahan, a leader of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group, with the UAE authorities acting swiftly upon Ireland's extradition request. Additionally, cooperation with France led to the seizure of 82 properties connected to a criminal case.
The UAE€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¾¢s efforts have reduced the response time for voluntary extradition to five days, and the execution of mutual legal assistance requests to an average of 35 days. The International Cooperation Assistance System (ICAS) has significantly cut procedural times and staff effort, enhancing efficiency.
Al Nuaimi affirmed that the UAE will continue to expand its treaty network, deepen partnerships, expedite information exchange, and develop digital tools to reinforce its position as a global partner in combating organized and transnational crime.