See also

INTERPOL and United Nations Peacekeeping

News: INTERPOL and United Nations peacekeeping partnership launches ministerial meeting

News: Secretary General Noble to take part in high-level UN meeting on global security

Press Release: United Nations requests INTERPOL support in investigation INTERPOL to assist in former Lebanese PM murder enquiry

INTERPOL has long co-operated with the United Nations in law enforcement matters, a relationship that was formalized by the signing of a co-operation agreement between the two organizations in October 1996.

The co-operation agreement grants the two organizations observer status in sessions of their respective general assemblies. The agreement outlines further areas in which the two organizations could co-ordinate their efforts:

• responding to the needs of the international community in fighting crime
• assisting states in their efforts to combat organized crime
• co-operating in the implementation of the mandates of international judicial bodies
• carrying out joint investigations and other police-related matters in the context of peace-keeping
• establishing joint databases related to penal law.

To strengthen the global capacity to respond coherently to ever-changing developments in the world from a law enforcement perspective, INTERPOL appointed Dr Ulrich Kersten, former president of the German Federal Criminal Police (Bundeskriminalamt) and former INTERPOL Executive Committee member, as its first Special Representative to the United Nations on November 5, 2004. As both organizations occupy unique positions in the international community, the creation of the INTERPOL office at UN headquarters in New York marks the beginning of a new era of co-operation between them.

The INTERPOL office at the UN embodies the spirit of the original co-operation agreement, and will focus on:

• liaison between INTERPOL and the United Nations by establishing, maintaining, developing and promoting contact networks between the general secretariats of the two organizations, their dependent bodies and their officials
• raising UN awareness of INTERPOL's functions and services by facilitating and enhancing the exchange of information between the two parties
• identifying opportunities for collaboration based on extensive knowledge of the activities and developments of the two organizations
• acting as the senior advisor to the INTERPOL Secretary General regarding all matters or developments having, or that may have, a UN impact.

News: Secretary General Noble to take part in high-level UN meeting on global security

Press Release: United Nations requests INTERPOL support in investigation INTERPOL to assist in former Lebanese PM murder enquiry