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Tel: (212) 963-5631 Fax: (212) 963-4185 Internet site: www.unodc.org/newyork
STATEMENT BY MR. VINCENT McCLEAN, REPRESENTATIVE
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME TO
THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,
29 APRIL 2004
Mr. Chairman,
I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Commission to two
United Nations Conventions which will help Member States defend their
economic and sustainable development agendas from the ravages of organised
crime and corruption.
Criminal activities such as drug trafficking, bribery, the misappropriation of funds
intended for investment and social services, and the trafficking of women and
children present serious challenges to good governance, the rule of law and
sustainable, economic and social development. The burdens these challenges
impose bear hardest on the poorest sections of societies. It follows that addressing
them effectively is critical to the achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals.
The Convention on Transnational Organised Crime, which entered into force on
29 September 2003, places a legal obligation on state parties to take specific
measures to cooperate with each another against offences such as participation in
an organised criminal group, money laundering and obstruction of justice. That
convention?s Protocol on Trafficking in Human Beings requires action to make
trafficking a criminal offence, to prosecute offenders and to protect victims.
The Convention against Corruption, which was adopted by the General Assembly
on 31 October 2003 and which has been signed by over 100 Member States, is the
first global legally binding instrument on corruption. It breaks new ground with
its provisions on the prevention of corruption and on asset recovery.
/?
Adoption and ratification of these instruments is a beginning, but only a
beginning. It is vital that Member States ensure that their criminal justice
institutions are sufficiently robust to deal with the challenges they face. Tackling
organised crime means having effective criminal intelligence systems, machinery
to trace and seize the proceeds of crime and programmes to protect witnesses.
Tackling corruption means having effective counter-corruption strategies and
institutions, transparent national accounts, comprehensive asset disclosure by
Ministers and senior officials when they take up and relinquish office, and
adequate remuneration for public servants.
These very desirable objectives will not be achieved without effective political
leadership at national level and the involvement and support of civil society,
together with co-operation across borders in the form of exchange of criminal
intelligence, extradition arrangements, provisions for repatriation of assets and
joint operations against traffickers in drugs, weapons and human beings.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is committed to supporting
Member States in their efforts to implement the provisions of these conventions.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
UNODC New York Office
April 2004
S:\SHARED\Shared-Benitez\MSWORD6\mcclean\PRESENTATIONS\CSD-29APRIL04.doc\LB
Tel: (212) 963-5631 Fax: (212) 963-4185 Internet site: www.unodc.org/newyork
STATEMENT BY MR. VINCENT McCLEAN, REPRESENTATIVE
UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME TO
THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,
29 APRIL 2004
Mr. Chairman,
I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Commission to two
United Nations Conventions which will help Member States defend their
economic and sustainable development agendas from the ravages of organised
crime and corruption.
Criminal activities such as drug trafficking, bribery, the misappropriation of funds
intended for investment and social services, and the trafficking of women and
children present serious challenges to good governance, the rule of law and
sustainable, economic and social development. The burdens these challenges
impose bear hardest on the poorest sections of societies. It follows that addressing
them effectively is critical to the achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals.
The Convention on Transnational Organised Crime, which entered into force on
29 September 2003, places a legal obligation on state parties to take specific
measures to cooperate with each another against offences such as participation in
an organised criminal group, money laundering and obstruction of justice. That
convention?s Protocol on Trafficking in Human Beings requires action to make
trafficking a criminal offence, to prosecute offenders and to protect victims.
The Convention against Corruption, which was adopted by the General Assembly
on 31 October 2003 and which has been signed by over 100 Member States, is the
first global legally binding instrument on corruption. It breaks new ground with
its provisions on the prevention of corruption and on asset recovery.
/?
Adoption and ratification of these instruments is a beginning, but only a
beginning. It is vital that Member States ensure that their criminal justice
institutions are sufficiently robust to deal with the challenges they face. Tackling
organised crime means having effective criminal intelligence systems, machinery
to trace and seize the proceeds of crime and programmes to protect witnesses.
Tackling corruption means having effective counter-corruption strategies and
institutions, transparent national accounts, comprehensive asset disclosure by
Ministers and senior officials when they take up and relinquish office, and
adequate remuneration for public servants.
These very desirable objectives will not be achieved without effective political
leadership at national level and the involvement and support of civil society,
together with co-operation across borders in the form of exchange of criminal
intelligence, extradition arrangements, provisions for repatriation of assets and
joint operations against traffickers in drugs, weapons and human beings.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is committed to supporting
Member States in their efforts to implement the provisions of these conventions.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
UNODC New York Office
April 2004
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