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UAE Inks Accession Document To VGT |
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The UAE, represented by the Ministry of Interior, has officially become a member of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) signing today an agreement for accession. The Virtual Global Taskforce is made up of law enforcement agencies from around the world working together to fight child abuse online. The aim of the VGT is to build an effective, international partnership of law enforcement agencies that helps to protect children from online child abuse. Under this agreement, the UAE will be legally bound to realise the VGT objectives seeking to make the Internet a safer place; identify, locate and help children at risk; and to hold perpetrators appropriately to account. The agreement was signed by of Major General Nasser Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and representative of the UAE in the Organisation, and visiting the Chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), and Australian Federal Police (AFP) Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan, in the presence of Deputy Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Michael Phelan, Major Faisal Al Shameri, Liasion Officer and Media Coordinator with VGT. Major General Al Nuaimi said HH Lt.General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, is committed to developing the strategy between the UAE and the VGT for cyber protection of children. He said the UAE would take a serious of measures to energise its cooperation with the VGT. ’’Shiekh Saif is determined that the UAE becomes a centre of excellence to protect children and raise awareness of the new high-tech risks that they may face, including through the internet," Major General Al Nuaimi said. ’’Our participation in the VGT will help us to adopt international best practices and be further bolstered by the introduction of appropriate legislation and regulations. The protection of our children and families is vital to the development of our society. Children are our future and the family is the foundation underpinning this great nation. The UAE officially became a member of the VGT on 9 March 2010. Al Nuaimi reiterated the UAE commitment to steam ahead with its efforts to protect children in the UAE and abroad, deliver high class services to the community, adopt best international practices and enact adequate legislations and systems on protection of families and children. The Chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), and Australian Federal Police (AFP) Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan, said the VGT will continue to use its successes as a foundation to expand its membership and to develop further some of groundbreaking work which is already underway. Since its inception in 2003, the VGT has significantly changed the way in which countries work together to protect children. The dismantling of global paedophile networks, the coordination of covert internet investigations, the sharing and developing of intelligence and the targeting of travelling sex offenders are among the global activities of the VGT in recent years. The VGT delivers low-cost, high impact initiatives that prevent and deter paedophiles from exploiting children online. |
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