Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FBI Director Kash Patel in Washington, strengthening cooperation between Australia and the United States on counterterrorism, transnational crime and intelligence sharing.
The agreement will deepen collaboration between the two agencies through enhanced intelligence exchange, coordinated operations and capability development.
In a statement, the AFP said the MoU was part of a broader effort to strengthen Australia’s security by expanding cooperation with international law enforcement partners.
“The AFP takes seriously its responsibility to protect Australians from threats that cross borders.”
The FBI agreement is one of several MoUs Commissioner Barrett is signing during her North American visit with law enforcement, defence and private sector organisations.
The AFP said the new agreements would strengthen frameworks covering intelligence sharing, digital financial flows, supply chains and logistics — areas considered critical to disrupting organised crime networks.
The agency said the agreements would also provide stronger legal and operational frameworks for joint operations and capability-building initiatives.
FBI Director Kash Patel welcomed the cooperation, saying the partnership would continue joint efforts in key areas including narcotics, transnational crime and counterterrorism.
“Proud to host my friend and our great partner Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett at FBI HQ — great meeting on our partnership and continued joint work together on counternarcotics, transnational crime, and counterterrorism.”
The AFP Commissioner said international cooperation was essential to addressing modern security challenges.
“National security is regional security and global security.”
She said engagement with international partners and forums allowed countries to develop policing frameworks capable of responding to emerging threats.
“By sitting at the table with about 140 UN member states, we can meaningfully shape the frameworks that will empower police collaboration, not just for now, but for the generations to come.”
The AFP and FBI have a longstanding partnership through intelligence sharing, joint investigations and operational cooperation, with both agencies continuing to focus on threats including terrorism, organised crime, cyber-enabled crime and illicit financial networks.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
