CAIRO, July 15 (MENA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty expressed his appreciation to Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Waly, for her efforts in supporting global crime prevention and for representing Egypt and the Arab world on the international stage.

During their meeting on Tuesday, Abdelatty praised Waly’s strong contributions in international forums, noting that her work positively reflects Egypt’s standing within global institutions.

For her part, Waly briefed the minister on the UN Cybercrime Convention adopted in December 2024, noting that the official signing ceremony will be held in Hanoi on October 25, 2025. She extended an invitation for Egypt to participate with a high-level delegation.

She also highlighted Egypt’s role as vice-chair of the treaty’s drafting committee, and pointed to ongoing discussions on establishing a regional cybercrime training center in Egypt to serve African countries.

Waly reviewed UNODC’s cooperation with Egyptian authorities in combating illegal migration, citing joint efforts with the Ministries of Interior and Justice, the Administrative Control Authority, and the Public Prosecutor’s Office. She added that several of these projects receive funding from the European Union.

She further discussed UNODC’s initiatives to combat antiquities trafficking and emphasized the importance of private sector engagement in safeguarding cultural heritage. Waly referenced a UK-funded program that provides technical support to countries confronting heritage crimes.

Additionally, she confirmed that Egypt will host a regional expert group meeting on antiquities trafficking in October 2025 under the auspices of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. (MENA)

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