Vienna Chapter
On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I would like to thank the ClCP Executive Director, Mr. Pino Arlacchi for his comprehensive introductory statement as well as for the report on the Work of the Centre for International Prevention.
The Group of 77 and China acknowledge with deep appreciation the support of donor countries for some projects of technical assistance and advisory services for some developing countries. The Centre's technical cooperation activities are crucial for promoting effective international cooperation in crime prevention and criminal justice matters. The General Assembly has therefore consistently urged the strengthening of the Centre's technical cooperation capacity and improving the operational activities of the Programme.
The Group welcomes the Centre's responses outlined in the Report such as:
a) Systematic effort to translate into concrete activities at the field level the priorities of the Centre,
b) Synergy with UNDCP and reinforced interagency cooperation with other relevant Secretariat activities and UN agencies, and
c) Efforts to act increasingly as both funding and executing agency.
We thank the Secretariat for the preparaUon of the three global projects on Trafficking in Human Beings, Corruption and the Global Studies on Organized Crime. These. global projects are appropriate responses to the pressing needs to meet the complex challenges of combating transnational organized crimes. They together with the existing mandates of the Programme have to be supported by all countries not only in terms of political support but with adequate resources for their implementation. The Group therefore would like to echo yet again the perennial calls of the General Assembly on States and UN funding agencies to make significant financial contributions for the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme. We note in particular that the 3 Global Programmes are estimated to need some $16M over four years.
We all recognize the marked discrepancy between the mandates and the resources of the Centre. While encouraged by the increase in funding in recent years, we are as well concerned that the increase is far too small to overcome that discrepancy. In requesting for increase in the contribution to the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Fund, the Group of 77 and China are also conscious of the need to assist the Programme in its role as facilitator of bilateral assistance. We thank the Ambassador of Austria for steering the work of the informal group on resource mobilization and assure her of the Group's continued cooperation.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, the Executive Director in his reports on the Work of the Centre and the preparation of the medium term plan for the period 2002 - 2005 identified the need for a strategic re-orientation of the Centre's activities to meet the new criminal threats posed by organized crimes to nations and the entire international community.
The Group of 77 and China are cognizant of the valuable role a future Convention against International Organized Crime and the three protocols on Trafficking on Migrants, Human Beings and Firearms. These international instruments would entail the fulfillment of obligations for which even more enhanced technical cooperation and advisory services would be needed by the developing countries. Accordingly the Group of 77 and China has proposed the inclusion in the draft Convention of a provision on the establishment of a special Fund to assist developing countries in the implementation of the Convention and the three protocols. We hope that the proposal will have the support of all countries.
Meeting the Challenges of the Twenty-first century The G-77 and China
wishes to express its appreciation to the Austrian delegation for the
great effort undertaken in preparing this document, which could serve as a
basis for the Declaration of the Tenth United Nations Congress on the
Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. However, our Group
would like to state that the three sessions on the Draft Vienna
Declaration were very fruitful but insufficient to analyze in detail the
ways to incorporate into the Vienna Declaration the main recommendations
of the regional group meetings. We are of the opinion that a document of
such political importance for the international community should reflect
our concerns and objectives for the immediate future which should be
reflected upon and brought over to the next Millennium. For this reason
this Declaration will have to be analyzed carefully by all Member States
of the United Nations. In this context, the Group of 77 and China proposes
that this Eighth Session on the Commission on Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice adopts a decision on the creation of an informal
mechanism, open to all Member States, with the aim to examine again the
document as well as to incorporate changes and suggestions submitted from
Governments.
ITEM 6: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL CRIME
Madame Chair,
I take this opportunity to congratulate you and the Bureau Members on their election and assure you of our cooperation.
We once again express appreciation for the funding contributed by the United States and Japan to enhance participation in the elaboration of the Draft Convention on Transnational Organized Crime. The opinion is held that, in view of the need for universal participation in the drafting of the Convention we urge the Secretariat to do everything in its power to raise awareness, especially amongst all developing countries in order to participate in the drafting process on the following:
Enhancing the actual participation, however, remains important.
I take this opportunity to draw attention of the Executive Director that the request for funding participation of the developing countries had emanated from G-77 and hence his letter on this subject could be addressed to the Chairman of the G-77 rather than to the regional groups. The regional groups would, of course, be consulted to facilitate decision making on the modalities to be followed for utilization of the extra-budgetary funds available for this purpose.
Thank you Madame Chair.
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G-77 and China Statement on Article 21
The Group of 77 and China would like to speak in support of the inclusion of a draft proposal which would enable the General Assembly to instruct the Ad-Hoc Committee to explore the possibility of establishing a technical assistance fund. The purpose of the fund would be to help developing countries to strengthen and modernize the administration of criminal justice as well as to permit the adequate implementation of the convention against organized transnational crime and the corresponding protocols.
We believe that this fund is in the interest of all parties. The implementation of a convention on transnational organized crime imposes heavy burdens and sacrifices on the developing countries. It is only fair that the international community responds and gives us the means to execute our share of this very important task. Thus, let us move forward together.
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