UAE judicial cooperation requests surge as global confidence in legal system grows

Abu Dhabi: UAE Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Federal Judicial Council, Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, said requests for international judicial cooperation received by the UAE increased significantly between 2021 and 2025, reflecting growing confidence among international partners in the country's legal and judicial system. Speaking during the thematic meeting "Strengthening International Judicial Cooperation: The UAE Experience and Global Partnerships" at the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice – Abu Dhabi 2026, Al Nuaimi said requests for mutual legal assistance rose by 244 per cent, while requests for the extradition of wanted persons increased by 235 per cent over the period. He revealed that the UAE received 576 extradition requests in 2025, of which courts issued decisions on 178 cases, while the remaining requests remained under review or awaited additional information. The country also received 547 requests for mutual legal assistance, and the relevant authorities issued 710 reminder notices to obtain missing information and expedite the completion of requests. Al Nuaimi said the UAE has established an integrated international judicial cooperation system that combines legal frameworks, direct partnerships, rapid response mechanisms and digital transformation, preventing the exploitation of borders to evade justice or conceal criminal assets and proceeds. "Crime today knows no borders, as criminals, assets, funds and evidence move across multiple jurisdictions, meaning that no country can confront transnational crime alone," he said. "Our message in the UAE is clear: borders should not become a shield protecting criminals or criminal assets. Our goal is for effective judicial cooperation to ensure the tracking, freezing, seizure and recovery of the proceeds of crime, in accordance with well-established judicial procedures that respect the rule of law." He added that the UAE views international judicial cooperation as a partnership based on trust, direct communication, swift action and practical solutions. More than 140 bilateral agreements The minister said the UAE's framework for international judicial cooperation is built on multilateral and bilateral agreements as well as national legislation. He noted that the UAE is a party to 16 global and regional agreements and has concluded more than 140 bilateral agreements with 53 countries, covering extradition, mutual legal assistance, asset freezing and confiscation, evidence collection and the transfer of convicted persons. According to Al Nuaimi, around 30 per cent of these bilateral agreements were signed during the past five years. He said four additional agreements are ready to be signed before the end of the year, while two are under negotiation and eight are currently being drafted. The minister added that federal legislation provides a strong legal basis for cooperation in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and arms proliferation financing, while the UAE also applies the principle of reciprocity where no bilateral agreement exists. Examples of international cooperation Al Nuaimi highlighted several recent examples of judicial cooperation. He said UAE authorities arrested Daniel Kinahan, a leading figure in the Kinahan organised crime group, within 48 hours of receiving an extradition request from Ireland. The case underwent a full judicial review process, culminating in a final ruling by the Dubai Court of Cassation before extradition was carried out on August 9. He also cited cooperation with France involving four individuals, which led to the identification, tracing and seizure of assets and 82 properties in the UAE last November through the Dubai Public Prosecution. Digital transformation accelerates procedures The minister said the UAE has significantly reduced processing times through technology and digitalisation. He revealed that the average execution time for voluntary surrender procedures has fallen to five days, while completed legal assistance requests are processed within 35 days, compared with international benchmarks ranging from 60 to 180 days. According to Al Nuaimi, the International Judicial Assistance System (ICAS) is now fully digital. The system has reduced some procedures from seven days to five minutes, lowered staff workloads by around 80 per cent, and improved the efficiency of certain processes by up to 90 per cent. The minister concluded by reaffirming the UAE's commitment to expanding its network of judicial cooperation agreements, strengthening international partnerships, accelerating information and evidence exchange, and developing digital tools. He said these efforts support the UAE's position as a trusted global partner in combating organised and transnational crime while promoting justice and the rule of law.