On 13 February 2025, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat and the Gulf Cooperation Council Police (GCCPOL) convened for a virtual preparatory meeting to strengthen their strategic collaboration. This engagement aligns with Paragraph 14.13 of the 42nd ASEANAPOL Conference Joint Communique, which formally approved ASEANAPOL’s proposal to establish deeper cooperation with GCCPOL and mandated the
Secretariat to coordinate its implementation.
Since becoming an ASEANAPOL Observer in 2019, GCCPOL has played an important role in regional law enforcement cooperation, fostering greater synergy in addressing shared security challenges. The meeting brought together key representatives from both organizations, with Executive Director David Martinez Vinluan leading the ASEANAPOL Secretariat delegation. He was joined by Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Ngoc, Senior Superintendent Huntal Tambunan, Deputy Superintendent Abdul Hamid Abdul Hashim, Deputy Superintendent Suresh Subramaniam, and Assistant Superintendent Engku Nurul ‘Aini Engku Malek. On the GCCPOL side, His Excellency Brigadier General Mubarak Saeed Alkhyeli led the discussions.
The meeting centered on enhancing intelligence-sharing mechanisms, capacity-building efforts, and formalizing cooperation under the ASEANAPOL-GCCPOL Strategic Cooperation framework. Both parties emphasized the need for structured engagements that would strengthen their collective ability to combat transnational crime.
A key outcome of the meeting was the agreement to assess the feasibility of convening the General Directors of Investigation from all ASEANAPOL Member Countries for the first-ever ASEANAPOL-GCCPOL High-Level Meeting, tentatively scheduled for September/October 2025. Additionally, both parties agreed to institutionalize biennial (every two years) high-level meetings to ensure sustained engagement. Another significant point of discussion was GCCPOL’s support in capacity-building and training initiatives for ASEANAPOL Member Countries, reinforcing their shared commitment to developing law enforcement capabilities across both regions.
Throughout the discussions, both ASEANAPOL and GCCPOL reaffirmed their commitment to regional security and transnational crime prevention. They recognized that a collaborative, intelligence-driven approach is crucial to effectively addressing evolving security threats. By strengthening their partnership, the two organizations aim to combat illicit drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, and financial fraud through proactive initiatives and cooperative strategies.
This preparatory meeting marked a significant milestone in ASEANAPOL-GCCPOL relations, setting the stage for deeper collaboration and more structured engagements in the future. As ASEANAPOL and GCCPOL continue to work together, their unified efforts will contribute to a safer and more secure environment for their respective regions.
"Together We Keep This Region Safe"