Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 02 September 2024: A training course organized by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with Rabdan Academy was launched today in Abu Dhabi. The course aims to equip law enforcement officers with essential skills to combat crimes related to digital currencies. The program features discussion sessions and workshops led by experts from law enforcement, academia, and the private sector.
The hybrid course, offering both in-person and remote attendance options, is held in cooperation with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the Safe Communities Forum, the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and various international private sector institutions. The course's significance is underscored by the global proliferation of digital currencies, which necessitates enhancing and developing the capabilities of law enforcement officers to tackle emerging financial crimes and stay abreast of technological advancements.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Naji Al Seiari, Research and Innovation Division Director & Interim Dean of Faculty at Rabdan Academy, welcomed the attendees. He expressed hope that these efforts would achieve sustainable goals in strengthening the skills and knowledge of law enforcement personnel, particularly in areas involving advanced sciences and modern technologies driven by technological progress. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and international cooperation in sharing expertise, knowledge, and best practices to bolster community security. Lieutenant Colonel Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi, Director General of the International Affairs Office at the Ministry of Interior, also welcomed the participants and lecturers.
Speaking on behalf of the Safe Communities Forum and the Ministry of Interior, she highlighted the shared commitment to enhancing collective efforts to address one of the most pressing security challenges of our time. She noted that the mission is to make communities safer and more resilient by fostering cooperation and innovation across multiple sectors. Lieutenant Colonel Al Marzouqi expressed her gratitude to Rabdan Academy for its support and strong partnership in making this course a reality. She also extended thanks to all partners involved, including Elliptic, Chainalysis, Rain, Mastercard, the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Dubai Police, INTERPOL, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The three-day course covers a wide range of topics, including the history, evolution, and blockchain technology of cryptocurrencies; the coexistence and competition between cryptocurrency and traditional financial systems; emerging issues and cryptocurrency-related crimes; detection techniques and evidence collection; investigative tools and techniques; cryptographic analysis tools and methodologies; case studies; future trends; and the roles of INTERPOL and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in international cooperation. The course also includes practical exercises with scenarios and digital analysis tools.
Lecturers for the course include local and international experts such as Mohammed Shaloh, Chairman of the Public-Private Partnership Subcommittee and Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships at the Executive Office to Combat Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing; T. Raja Kumar, former Chairman of FATF; Jorge Wilsteren, Director of the INTERPOL Global Academy; Robert Kickbusch, Cybersecurity Officer at the U.S. Department of the Treasury; Major Consultant Tariq Abdul Hakim Belhoul, Head of the Virtual Assets Crime Section at Dubai Police; Dr. Omer Ali Saifudeen, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies Affairs at Rabdan Academy; Jaco Barkhuizen, Policing and Security Program Chair at Rabdan Academy; Sui Wan Low, Deputy Director of the FinTech Pod at the Singapore University of Social Sciences; Dr. John Hatzadony, Homeland Security Program Chair at Rabdan Academy; Dr. Mohamad Husam Helmi, Assistant Professor in the General Education and Foundation Program at Rabdan Academy; Tabish Shuaib, Head of Operations at Rain; Danny Chan, Regional Security Officer for the Asia-Pacific region; Mohamed Al-Saadi, Senior Account Executive at Mastercard International; Arushi Joel, Head of Policy for the Middle East and Africa at Chainalysis; and Liat Shetrit, Director of International Policy and Global Regulatory Affairs at Elliptic.
