Grande-Marlaska meets with Interpol officials in Lyon and reaffirms Spain's commitment to the body

The Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has highlighted in Lyon the "outstanding role" played by Spain in Interpol since its creation in 1923, and has reaffirmed our country's commitment to the organisation.

"The quantity and quality of the information exchanges, the volume of searches contributed to the databases, the number of detainees for extradition and the intervention in a large part of the organisation's operations are proof of this commitment," said the minister during his visit to the headquarters of the international police organisation.

Four officers from the National Police and Guardia Civil are currently stationed at Interpol's headquarters in Lyon, and one more at the Innovation Centre in Singapore. Throughout 2022, Spain collaborated with Interpol in the arrest of 83 people wanted abroad and 398 fugitives located in Spain. A total of 228 extraditions were also carried out, 95 of them corresponding to people requested by Spain and 133 to people wanted in other countries.

The Minister for Home Affairs was received on his arrival at Interpol's headquarters by its Secretary General, Jürgen Stock, with whom he held a working meeting, which was also attended by Stephen Kavanagh, Executive Director of Police Services; María Guadalupe Medina, Chief of Staff to the Secretary General; and Maria Berger, Interpol's Strategy and Policy Advisor.

Grande-Marlaska took advantage of the visit to congratulate the secretary general on the centenary of the creation of Interpol, which will be celebrated in 2023, expressing Spain's desire to continue collaborating with the organisation "as a relevant actor, reflecting the role of our country in its geostrategic position, as a bridge of cultures and a link between continents".

Along these lines, the Minister for Home Affairs has pledged to work during the upcoming Spanish presidency of the European Union to promote the integration of Interpol in the development of Ameripol, the American police organisation, and to make progress in the negotiations between Interpol and the European Commission so that EU agencies can access the organisation's databases.

He also stressed Spain's commitment to continue increasing police cooperation with African countries, especially in regions such as the Sahel and the Maghreb, and in areas such as the fight against terrorism and human trafficking, in which our country has accumulated a great deal of experience through joint investigation teams and other bilateral and multilateral projects.

Non official translation