Abdullah Bin Sultan Bin Awad Al Nuaimi and Sean Murphy pose for photographs after signing the agreement at the US Embassy in the UAE.

The UAE and the US signed a judicial cooperation agreement covering mutual legal assistance in criminal affairs, which is the first agreement of its kind in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

The agreement was signed by Abdullah Bin Sultan Bin Awad Al Nuaimi, Minister of Justice, and Sean Murphy, Foreign Affairs Attaché at the US Embassy in the UAE.

During the signing, Al Nuaimi commended the bilateral cooperation between the US and the UAE and highlighted their keenness to enhance their legal and judicial relations, noting that the UAE’s Ministry of Justice is keen to reinforce its cooperation in legal and judicial areas with the US.

He also stressed the ministry's keenness to implement the agreement and continue cooperating. The signing of the agreement will considerably support the achievement of justice in the areas of combatting money laundering, terrorist financing, human trafficking, drug smuggling and organised crime. He then highlighted the importance of exchanging knowledge and monitoring the implementation of the agreement.

The agreement covers several areas, such as mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, cases of refusal of assistance, the form and content of requests and their implementation, restrictions on the use and confidentiality of information, evidence and testimony, the transfer of arrested persons, document services, searches and seizures, assistance during confiscations, and compliance with other agreements.

Al Nuaimi thanked everyone who contributed to the agreement’s drafting and signing and called for ongoing cooperation in the near future, to exchange and benefit from mutual experiences in various judicial fields, as well as reinforce the constructive cooperation between the two friendly countries.

Murphy expressed his happiness at the signing of the agreement, which will reinforce the cooperation between the two countries.

WAM