The Abu Dhabi-based think tank announced its involvement in the six-day forum hosted by the United Arab Emirates for the first time as the event prepares to set the global roadmap for crime prevention and criminal justice through 2031. According to a report by The National, officials from more than 97 countries including 32 justice and interior ministers will attend sessions at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from September 26 to October 1. UNODC documents place the main theme as accelerating crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law to protect people and the planet while fulfilling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the digital age.
The congress will focus on technology-driven offences alongside organised crime, drug trafficking, money laundering and crimes targeting children and vulnerable groups, preparatory materials from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime indicate. TRENDS Research & Advisory intends to present its independent policy research on these emerging issues, building on its record of more than 1,260 research papers and 370 international partnerships detailed in the centre’s 2025 annual review. A media briefing organised by the Ministry of Justice in Dubai on the upcoming congress included TRENDS representatives, the centre’s LinkedIn update stated.
Preparatory meetings across five regions in early 2025 gathered input from more than 100 NGOs, a sharp increase from prior cycles, according to a Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime assessment published in May 2026. The 15th congress follows the 14th edition held in a hybrid format in Kyoto in 2021 after multiple postponements linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNODC records show. Organisers have scheduled 15 major events, roughly 200 meetings and 38 specialised exhibitions as part of the programme, The National reported.
TRENDS Research & Advisory has maintained an active international presence with 539 external participations across 27 countries in 2025 alone, its year-end summary noted. The centre’s contributions at the Abu Dhabi gathering will align with workshop topics on innovative evidence-based prevention strategies, building resilient societies and strengthening data collection to counter new forms of crime, UN regional preparatory documents outline. Officials from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have highlighted technology as both a driver of evolving criminal methods and a tool for more effective responses.
The congress traces its origins to 1955 and has convened every five years since, establishing it as the UN’s primary platform for member states to share practices on criminal justice reform, a UNODC overview confirmed. Discussions in Abu Dhabi are expected to produce a single declaration for review by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2026, official UN filings indicate. TRENDS participation reflects its ongoing engagement with global forums addressing transnational security challenges.
