UAE strengthens international judicial cooperation to prevent crime evasion

UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi announced that the United Arab Emirates has established an integrated international judicial cooperation system to prevent criminals from using borders to evade justice or protect criminal assets. Speaking at the 15th United Nations Conference on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, Al Nuaimi emphasized that modern crime is transnational, requiring rapid response, direct partnerships, and digital transformation.

The UAE currently participates in 16 global and regional agreements and has over 140 bilateral agreements in force with 53 countries. These agreements cover extradition, mutual legal assistance, asset freezing, and evidence collection. Recent data shows a significant rise in judicial requests; between 2021 and 2025, requests for mutual legal assistance increased by 244%, while extradition requests rose by 235%.

Technological advancements have significantly streamlined these processes. The digital 'ICAS' system has reduced certain procedural times from seven days to just five minutes and decreased staff workload by approximately 80%. In 2025, the UAE received 576 extradition requests and 547 mutual legal assistance requests, with the average time for voluntary extradition implementation dropping to five days.