INTERPOL 2020 General Assembly postponed

LYON, France – With reports of increasing COVID-19 infection and death rates in many parts of the world, INTERPOL’s Executive Committee has taken the decision to postpone the Organization’s 2020 General Assembly.

The meeting was scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates in December, however the Executive Committee has concluded it is both inadvisable and materially impossible to hold the 89th General Assembly anywhere in the world, in 2020.

Due to legal, technical and logistical reasons, there is currently also no viable option for a virtual General Assembly.

“The United Arab Emirates authorities worked extremely hard to identify solutions to the problems presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, unfortunately it is not possible for the General Assembly to go ahead as planned,” said Secretary General Jürgen Stock.

“Despite the postponement of the General Assembly, our daily work of supporting our 194 member countries combat all forms of transnational crime and terrorism remains unaffected,” added Secretary General Stock.

The postponement means apart from the budget, which exceptionally can be approved by the Executive Committee, all other statutory items will remain pending until the next session of the General Assembly. This includes elections for the Executive Committee and the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files.