LYON, France – An agreement signed today at the INTERPOL General Secretariat headquarters will see Saudi Arabia contribute EUR 1 million to the INTERPOL Capabilities for Operational Relevance (I-CORE) programme.
The 10-year I-CORE programme aims to harness innovation and technologies to provide seamless global police information flows, maximizing their operational value at the frontlines.
Set to be disbursed over three years, the contribution will go towards I-CORE’s Biometrics and Smart Case Messaging projects.
The contribution agreement was signed by INTERPOL Secretary-General Jürgen Stock and the Saudi Arabian Government, represented by the Ministry of Interior in the person of Colonel Abdulmlk Ibrahim Al-Sogiah, head of the country’s INTERPOL National Central Bureau.
“The nature of police work has changed as the exponential increase in data calls for global systems to turn information into actionable intelligence – faster, smarter, everywhere,” said Secretary General Stock.
“I thank Saudi Arabia for this concrete contribution that will allow police to access high-quality data when and where they need it, bridging global security gaps,” Secretary General Stock added.
Colonel Al-Sogiah said the directives of the Saudi Minister of Interior, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif Al Saud, emphasize the importance of digital transformation in the field of law enforcement, specifically within INTERPOL.
“INTERPOL is dedicated to combating transnational crime in all its manifestations and has a positive impact on police operations worldwide,” said Colonel Al-Sogiah. “Consequently, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia actively supports the I-CORE programme, which focuses on staying up to date with digital transformation and leveraging artificial intelligence.”
“It is undeniable that the outcomes of the I-CORE programme will be advantageous to INTERPOL and its 195 member countries,” Colonel Al-Sogiah added.
Artificial intelligence
The I-CORE Programme was developed following a comprehensive assessment of INTERPOL’s capabilities and has rolled out three projects to improve the hosting and exchange of police data.
One of the projects – Smart Case Messaging - is a web-based messaging platform that applies artificial intelligence to help make police messaging more effective, and to improve the quality and quantity of hits and leads.
With INTERPOL’s regular budget unable to fund the EUR 80 million required for the I-CORE programme, the Organization has asked its member countries for financial support.
Saudi Arabia’s contribution follows funding agreements from other INTERPOL member countries, including Germany and the Netherlands.