His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), met with Philippine Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on May 11th to discuss bilateral cooperation in the areas of safety and security.
The meeting aimed to strengthen the international efforts in the fight against cybercrime and transnational organized crime, which would enhance global security and stability.
The delegation from the Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) was welcomed by His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Major General Staff Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, and other UAE police officials.
The meeting zeroed in on collaboration between the two nations to address issues related to safety and security, as well as their ongoing commitment to maintain international peace and security.
“I met His Excellency Benjamin Abalos, Minister of the Interior and Local Government of the friendly Republic of the Philippines, and we reviewed the bilateral cooperation relations between the two countries, and we discussed the importance of strengthening international efforts in the areas of combating cybercrime and transnational organized crime, in order to enhance international security and stability efforts,” His Highness Sheikh Saif tweeted after the meeting.
In his keynote address at the annual Philippine Economic and Investment Summit (PEIS) and the 9th Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition (PPIE) on May 12th, Abalos praised Dubai and the UAE for being a leader in safety, peace, and order.
He added that he wanted officials from the Philippine National Police and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to take stock of how the UAE implements safety and security measures.
“Even after the pandemic, the Philippines logged a lower index crime rate for the first quarter of 2023 with 7,865 cases, compared to the 9,375 incidents in 2022,” Abalos said, underscoring DILG’s commitment to international investors to further reducing the crime index rate in the country.
During the events, Abalos also highlighted various elements that boost investors’ confidence in the Philippines, including initiatives on good governance, peace and order, sustainable development, ease of doing business, and effective delivery of services.
The Interior Minister, alongside HE Alfonso Ver, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE, opened the two-day international events at Radisson Blu Hotel, Deira Creek, Dubai.
The two-day international events, dubbed the Philippines’ largest twin investment summit and expo in Dubai, will run until May 13th and were open to the public for free.
