UN Secretary-General urges stronger international police cooperation against cybercrime
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for stronger cross-border police cooperation as organised crime increasingly involves digital technologies and activities that span multiple jurisdictions.
The United Nations marked the International Day of Police Cooperation on 7 September 2026 by highlighting the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in addressing organised crime and its growing cybercrime dimension.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said international cooperation allows law enforcement agencies to better serve communities, protect people at risk and respond to crime across borders. He stressed the importance of police institutions working together while maintaining public trust and legitimacy.
INTERPOL, which connects police forces in 196 countries, provides a key channel for international police cooperation and information-sharing. United Nations Police also support national police institutions through advice, training and capacity-building.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) provides technical assistance to countries addressing transnational organised crime. The UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Policing also works to improve coordination between policing activities across the UN system.
A case involving Côte d’Ivoire and Switzerland illustrated the role of international cooperation in tackling cyber-enabled crime. With support from INTERPOL, law enforcement authorities in the two countries helped dismantle a phishing operation that defrauded Swiss victims of more than $1.4 million.
The case demonstrated how a single criminal operation can involve authorities and victims in different countries. It also highlighted the role of information-sharing and coordinated investigations in responding to such offences.
This year’s International Day of Police Cooperation was held under the theme “Protecting against Vulnerability – Building Trust and Legitimacy in Policing.” Acting Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Alexandre Zouev also stressed the importance of police institutions earning the confidence of the communities they serve.
The UN’s observance placed cross-border cooperation alongside trust, accountability and effective policing as central elements of international efforts to address organised crime.
