The League of Arab States (LAS), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), convened the Third Steering and Follow-up Committee Meeting of the Regional Framework for Arab States (2023–2028) on 24–25 June 2026 in Cairo.
Held annually, the meeting serves as a key platform for advancing coordinated, evidence-based responses to challenges related to drugs, transnational organized crimes, terrorism, corruption and financial crimes. It also enables Member States to assess progress in implementing the Regional Framework, exchange experiences and good practices, and identify strategic priorities for future cooperation.
The meeting brought together representatives from relevant ministries and national institutions across Arab countries: (the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Lebanese Republic, the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Republic of Iraq, the Republic of Sudan, the Republic of Tunisia, the Republic of Yemen, the State of Libya, the State of Kuwait, the State of Palestine, the State of Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman, the Syrian Arab Republic, the United Arab Emirates).
Dr. Maha Bakheet, Acting Head of Legal Affairs Sector and Director of the Legal Affairs Department– General Secretariat, League of Arab States reaffirmed the commitment of the League of Arab States and its Member States to strengthening collective action and advancing shared security and development objectives across the region. She highlighted the development of a model organized crime strategy, in close partnership with the Arab Interior Ministers Council (AIMC) and the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS), and with the support of UNODC aimed at enhancing a coordinated and comprehensive regional response to evolving organized crime threats.
"The rapidly evolving threat landscape underscores the importance of collective action and sustained cooperation across the region," said Ms. Cristina Albertin, UNODC Regional Representative for the Middle East and North Africa. "Our partnership with the League of Arab States, regional, and international partners has enabled us to translate shared priorities into concrete support for Member States, reaching thousands of practitioners and communities. Looking ahead, our collective challenge is to ensure that our cooperation remains as dynamic and adaptive as the threats we face, while continuing to strengthen justice, security, and the rule of law at both national, regional and inter-regional levels."
During the meeting, participants reviewed progress achieved under the Regional Framework and examined developments across its six thematic areas: drug control; organized crime; trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants; corruption and financial crimes; terrorism prevention and prevention of violence; and strengthening criminal justice systems. Discussions highlighted persistent and emerging threats facing the region, including organized transnational crime, evolving drug markets, the increasing use of digital technologies and online platforms in facilitating crimes and violence, and the preservation of cultural heritage in armed conflict.
The meeting also highlighted the evolving funding landscape and the need to diversify support for the Regional Framework, including through national and in-kind contributions, cost-sharing, hosting of regional activities and joint donor engagement. Participants reaffirmed the Framework’s continued relevance as a platform for regional cooperation, emphasizing the importance of leveraging regional capacities, expertise, mechanisms, financial institutions, private sector engagement and centres of excellence to strengthen ownership, promote joint programming and better align national and regional priorities.
Discussions further underscored the importance of strengthening institutional capacities, enhancing information-sharing mechanisms, and investing in research and data collection to support evidence-based policymaking and effective operational responses. Member States also reviewed progress in implementing recommendations across the Regional Framework's thematic areas and identified priority actions to guide cooperation and programming in 2026.
In addition, on the sidelines of the meeting, the UNODC MENA Youth Network marked the World Drug Day, observed annually on 26 June, engaging participants in interactive activities that highlighted youth engagement and collective action in advancing prevention, resilience, and evidence-informed responses, while promoting balanced, health-centered approaches to drug control.
The Regional Framework for the Arab States 2023-2028 acts as the overarching strategic framework for cooperation between UNODC and LAS. It frames how UNODC will strengthen, prioritize, customize, and deliver support to the Arab region in effective response to some of the most pressing challenges faced by these countries and in connection with UNODC’s mandates and specialties.
The Regional Framework articulates six focus areas for guiding UNODC-implemented programming at the regional and national levels and they are: a balanced approach to drug control, strengthening the response to organized crime, combating trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, action against corruption and financial crime, preventing and countering terrorism and violence, and strengthening crime/violence prevention and criminal justice.
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