Abu Dhabi [UAE], September 13 (ANI/WAM): The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Interior and in coordination with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), has contributed to the training of law enforcement officers in 10 Latin American countries, who participated in the international operation against online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The operation was led by Argentina and carried out simultaneously in 15 countries, including Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and the United States.

The training programme was conducted in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, as part of the 'Artificial Intelligence for Safer Children' initiative launched by the UNICRI and the Ministry of the Interior in 2020, with the aim of strengthening the capabilities of law enforcement agencies around the world to employ artificial intelligence technologies to combat crimes of sexual exploitation of children.

The impact of the training was crowned by its role in supporting a major international operation led by the Republic of Argentina under the name 'International Operation against Online Exploitation and Sexual Abuse of Children.' The operation yielded significant results, including the issuance of 73 search warrants in participating countries, the arrest of 22 suspects on charges of possessing, producing, or distributing child sexual exploitation materials, the rescue of 15 children and adolescents, the execution of 32 arrests, and the confiscation of 393 various electronic devices.

This constituted a decisive blow against perpetrators of such crimes and reaffirmed the UAE's global leadership in enhancing the capabilities of law enforcement agencies and personnel in child protection, while contributing to ensuring their safety and security. (ANI/WAM)