Doha, October 29 (QNA) - Under the auspices of HE Minister of Interior, Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Police Academy Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the 14th Conference of Heads of Arab Security Training and Rehabilitation Institutions kicked off in Doha on Wednesday.

Hosted by the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Police Academy, the two-day conference is drawing broad participation from representatives of the ministries of interior in the Arab countries, alongside representatives of relevant regional and global organizations and institutions.

These organizations are namely United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South‑West Asia and the Arab Region, Arab Network for National Human Rights Institutions (ANNHRI), International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS), Arab Interior Ministers’ Council-General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers.

The opening ceremony was attended by HE Legal Advisor to HE the Minister of Interior and General Supervisor of the Police Academy Major General Dr. Abdullah Yousef Al Mal, HE Secretary-General of the Arab Interior Ministers Council Dr. Mohammad Ali Kuman, and President of the Police Academy and Chairman of the conference Brig. Gen. Abdul Rahman Majid Al Sulaiti.

Addressing the conference, Dr. Al Mal said the Police Academy is proud of hosting this event with the participation of a distinguished group of leaders and experts from across the Arab world, alongside partners from specialized international organizations, convened to exchange expertise and bolster collaboration in training and capacity-building, a fundamental pillar of security and stability.

The contemporary security challenges have become more intricate and interlinked, making persistent outstanding training indispensable for capacity-building and helping security personnel keep up with developments and confront risks by proactively leveraging state-of-the-art techniques, Dr. Al Mal said.

He added that investment in highly qualified security personnel, in terms of science, knowledge, and technology, is literally an investment in the security and stability of communities, and the more they become well-aware, the more security institutions' capabilities are enhanced to maintain protection against crime and professionally handle challenges.

Under the wise leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the State of Qatar has given foremost priority to the advancement of education and security training systems, in its belief that enduring security begins from the highly qualified human, Dr. Al Mal underlined.

He noted that the Police Academy has emerged as an Arab successful model in Qatar, combining academic education with practical and technical training, leveraging the latest virtual training technologies and intelligent simulation, which equips trainees with practical experience and enhances analytical and decision-making skills, while safeguarding security and human rights simultaneously.

Dr. Al Mal further indicated that the academy touts its partnership with NAUSS, which has yielded advanced programs and forums in the area of training and capacity-building, embodying the spirit of joint Arab action and promoting the notion of knowledge-based security, as well as corporate integration.

The digital revolution the world is going through imposes a new reality on Arab security and educational institutions, triggering the need for adopting smart training and integrated security education, as well as leveraging artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to advance the capabilities of security personnel and empower them to confront present and future challenges effectively, Dr. Al Mal pointed out.

As such, Qatar is diligently backing the efforts of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers to advance a unified Arab system for security training and rehabilitation, in addition to reinforcing collaboration and sharing expertise among Arab institutions to deepen integration and joint Arab action, he noted.

For his part, Ali Kuman affirmed that the conference convenes in Doha today as part of the tremendous interest Qatar gives to the rehabilitation of Arab security apparatuses to be further capable of fully discharging their duties.

He heaped praise on the initiative proffered by the Ministry of Interior in Qatar to allocate two annual scholarships at the Police Academy in the name of the late Arab security luminary HRH Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for students from member states.

This move is a gesture that embodies fidelity to the legacy of the architect of Arab security cooperation and reflects an unflagging commitment to providing member states with access to the academy’s elevated level of training and professional excellence, Ali Kuman underlined.

Ali Kuman further added that hosting this conference by the academy, along with the field visit to its premises, would be an invaluable opportunity to have a glimpse of this premium level, as long as the academy abounds with outstanding scientific programs.

The constructive discussions of the agenda would yield consequential outcomes that strengthen Arab cooperation in the areas of security training and rehabilitation, in support of building the capabilities of Arab security apparatuses to deal with a variety of criminal threats, he highlighted.

On the first day, the conference explored a flurry of critical subjects on the agenda, including advancing the technological skills of police and security personnel to combat cybercrimes, a benchmark model plan for preventive security training and qualification, alongside a benchmark model plan for security training and qualification in crisis and emergency management.

The Police Academy presented a primer on the Virtual Security Operations Center (vSOC), in implementation of the recommendation issued by the Board of Trustees of the Prince Nayef Arab Security Award to present the award-winning pioneering security programs at the relevant meetings convened under the auspices of the General Secretariat of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers.

The Police Academy's vSOC in Qatar was awarded first place in the category of pioneering security programs for 2024.

The vSOC performs a critical role in conducting virtual security exercises based on advanced simulation systems that mimic realistic and complex security scenarios.

It also innovates unconventional remediation solutions, in addition to developing the mechanisms of operationalizing the joint operations chambers among different stakeholders to foster security integration and elevates the readiness of the national response system. (QNA)