IntMin Predoiu, Qatari ambassador talk use of new technologies in ministry activities

Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu, at a working meeting with Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Romania Osama Yousef Abdullah Alqaradawy, underscored the need to expand the use of new technologies and equipment in the activity of the Interior Ministry (MAI)."The agenda of the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of common interest, with an emphasis on cybersecurity, digitisation of police services, and programmes for enhancing institutional capacities. Minister Predoiu voiced interest in the experience of the State of Qatar in digitising police services and civil services provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the State of Qatar and developing the potential for collaboration between the two ministries in these areas," a press release the Interior Ministry sent on Thursday informs.In the context of contemporary challenges in public order and security, the Romanian minister highlighted the need to expand the use of new technologies and equipment in the MAI activities, such as the use of drones to support the Border Police and the Gendarmerie, as well as drones and robots in civil defence and emergency interventions, for more efficient protection of national borders and the security, rights, and fundamental freedoms of citizens."The Romanian minister also mentioned MAI's interest in preparing and initiating the use of artificial intelligence in the civil services provided by the MAI to citizens, which are already at an advanced stage of digitisation within the MAI's Digital Hub," the quoted source mentioned.Another important topic of discussion was the strengthening of cooperation in the area of emergency situations.Minister Catalin Predoiu reiterated the invitation to the Qatari authorities to participate in the large-scale response exercise (ConvEx-3), organised by Romania under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency in June 2025.At the end of the meeting, the two officials reaffirmed their commitment to developing bilateral relations, emphasising the importance of organising periodic meetings between experts and decision-makers to develop projects in areas of common interest."We made significant progress in 2024 in the digitisation of public services provided by the MAI to citizens, in increasing public safety, protecting the border, and in the capacity for intervention in civil emergency situations. The Digital Civil Services Hub provided by the MAI is a good example. It is time to prepare for the next level of digitisation of MAI's civil services, to prepare a true revolution in the digitisation of civil services, through the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. To this end, we have set up a working group within the MAI," said Predoiu, according to the press release.He added that, in the context of a significant human resource deficit, the only solution for development and modernisation is the use of new technologies, drones, and robots, initially, in the protection of the rights and freedoms of peaceful citizens against violent ones, in protecting the state border, in civil emergency interventions, and civil defence."In this context, it is logical to study the experience of countries that have made tremendous progress in these directions in recent years, and the State of Qatar is one of them. During the discussion with the Ambassador of the State of Qatar in Bucharest, whom I invited to a working meeting, I inquired about these advancements and explored the possibility of a dialogue focused on the exchange of experience and best practices, which could eventually lead to deeper cooperation, based on mutual advantage," said Minister Predoiu.