ASEANAPOL and GCCPOL Strategize Inaugural High-Level Meeting for 2026

ASEANAPOL and GCCPOL Strategize Inaugural High-Level Meeting for 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, 23 December 2025 – The ASEANAPOL Secretariat held its second coordination meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council Police (GCCPOL) to finalize preparations for the First Meeting of the Directors General of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence. This cross-regional initiative aims to bridge security cooperation between Gulf and Southeast Asian nations.

The meeting was led by Colonel Dr. Ahmed Al Kaabi, Advisor to GCCPOL, and Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, Executive Director of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat. The session included the incoming Secretariat leadership, Police Colonel Dr. Kong Krissada and Police Colonel Jean Mary Mangahis, ensuring continuity in the strategic partnership between the two regional blocs.

The GCCPOL confirmed that the high-level summit will be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on 14–15 April 2026, under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Interior. To ensure a successful summit, the following administrative steps were agreed upon: Participation (Each member state is expected to send a delegation of four to five senior officials); International Cooperation (Discussions were held regarding the potential involvement of strategic partners, such as INTERPOL, to enrich the technical depth of the discussions); and Liaison & Communication (A draft press release was reviewed, and GCCPOL will finalize the documentation for official distribution by ASEANAPOL).

The meeting concluded with a commitment to maintain momentum. Executive Director Vinluan encouraged the conduct of a follow-up coordination meeting in January 2026, noting that this would be timely as the new Executive Director and new Director of Plans and Programmes (DPP) will then be officially on board to lead the implementation phase.