LYON, France: An agreement between INTERPOL and French national, regional and local authorities will lead to the expansion and modernization of the organization’s General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, reinforcing the long-term presence of the world police body in the city.
Since relocating to Lyon in 1989, INTERPOL has experienced continuous institutional growth, with staffing increasing from approximately 350 positions to nearly 1,000 officials today, making the planned expansion necessary to meet operational demands. Under the agreement, France has committed a total of EUR 61.2 million to the project, including EUR 43.2 million from the French State, EUR 9 million from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council, and EUR 9 million from the Greater Lyon area. The City of Lyon will also contribute a plot of land valued at EUR 15.84 million, which will be provided for a nominal fee of one euro.
Alongside the expansion, INTERPOL will allocate EUR 30 million to refurbish and upgrade the existing headquarters building. The agreement was formally signed by INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, Fabienne Buccio, Prefect of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and the Rhône Department, and representatives of regional and local authorities, following approval by INTERPOL’s Executive Committee during its November 2025 session in Marrakech, Morocco.
The procurement process for the main construction contract is expected to begin shortly, and the expanded facility, designed to accommodate up to 1,500 personnel, is projected to become fully operational by 2031.
INTERPOL’s presence in France represents a significant economic contribution, with nearly three-quarters of the organization’s annual global expenditure spent in the country and approximately 90 percent of that amount circulating within Lyon’s local economy. In 2024, INTERPOL’s global expenditure totaled EUR 162 million, of which roughly EUR 110 million contributed directly to Lyon’s economy. In addition, international meetings, seminars and training programmes hosted at the headquarters bring thousands of visitors to the city each year, complementing the economic impact generated by nearly 1,000 INTERPOL officials residing in the Lyon area.
Beyond its General Secretariat headquarters in Lyon, INTERPOL operates a global network of duty stations, including the Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore, six Regional Bureaus across Africa and the Americas, Special Representative Offices at the African Union in Addis Ababa, the European Union in Brussels and the United Nations in New York, as well as liaison offices at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna, Europol in The Hague, and for the Caribbean region in Bridgetown, Barbados.
