STATEMENT OF THE G77 AND CHINA AT THE TWENTY-THIRD SESSION
OF THE COMMISSION ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, 12-16 MAY 2014
DELIVERED BY H.E. ALA AZEEZ, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SRI LANKA
Vienna, 12 MAY 2014
Excellencies,
Mr. Chairman,
1. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, allow me to express my warm congratulations to you on your election, as well as to the other members of the Bureau conducting this 23rd session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). Rest assured of our full support and cooperation for the successful conclusion of the meeting.
2. The Group also commends the Secretariat for the excellent preparations made to support the work during the course of our session.
3. Let me also take this opportunity to convey our deepest condolence and sympathy to the bereaved families, friends and colleagues of the two officials of the UNODC who died in the attack during their mission in Somalia.
Mr. Chairman,
4. We would like to underline the significance of this year's thematic discussion on “international cooperation in criminal matters". We are fully aware that gaps may exist in relation to international cooperation in criminal matters. Therefore, we look forward to a productive and substantive exchange of views among the distinguished representatives to respond to the call of the Salvador Declaration, with a view to explore the need for various means of identifying gaps, as well as addressing the way forward and further action to these challenges within the mandate of this Commission.
5. We also take note with satisfaction of the increasing number of ratifications of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and the Protocols thereto, as well as the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), and international counter terrorism instruments, which reflects the collective commitment of Member States to promote cooperation in combating transnational organized crime, corruption, and terrorism.
6. We further reaffirm the need for enhancing bilateral, regional and international cooperation in criminal matters aimed at preventing and combating transnational organized crime, corruption and terrorism, to meet the need of requesting states.
7. We would also like to emphasize the importance of international cooperation in criminal matters including on issues related to extradition and mutual legal assistance, and call upon Member States to adopt practical approaches that would facilitate such cooperation
8. We wish to underline the importance of predictable, effective and sustainable technical and financial assistance to the Member States, upon request, in order to enhance their capacity to effectively counter transnational organized crime, corruption, and terrorism while ensuring their ownership of such activities.
9. In addition, we highlight the importance of South-South cooperation to foster the capabilities in developing countries to face adequately the transnational organized crime, corruption, and terrorism.
Mr. Chairman,
10. Regarding the UNCAC, we welcome the progress made by States in implementing the Convention, including, inter alia, through the mechanism for the review of implementation of the UNCAC. We would also like to take note of the outcomes of the 5th session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP), held in Panama in November 2013, particularly with regard to issues related to technical assistance, asset recovery, and the prevention of corruption, and looks forward to the next Conference, which will be held in St. Petersburg in 2015.
Mr. Chairman,
11. On the issue of counter terrorism, we note with concern that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including terrorist financing, remains a major challenge in many parts of the world with its attendant loss of lives and other resources as well as damages to the religious and cultural sites in some parts of the world. And while taking note of the importance of the existing universal legal instruments for the prevention and countering of terrorism, we call upon requested Member States to continue to assist requesting Member States with technical assistance to build capacity in order to effectively response to the new strategies employed by terrorists.
12. We would like to emphasize the importance of technical assistance extended to requesting Member States by Terrorism Prevention Branch of the UNODC, within its mandate.
13. We also call upon Member States to strengthen cooperation at sub-regional, regional and international levels including, inter alia, through sharing best practices, exchange of information, including on the new strategies employed by terrorists, training of counterterrorism experts, as well as facilitate conclusions of MoUs and other forms of arrangements in counter terrorism activities.
14. We express our serious concern over any form of ranking of Member States for the purposes of international cooperation in criminal matters, including, inter alia, trafficking in persons, terrorism financing, money laundering, trafficking in firearms, migrant smuggling and other forms of organized crime as well as corruption. In this sense, we call upon all Member States as well as other relevant regional and international organizations to avoid such rankings and unilateral actions that might weaken the international cooperation framework.
Mr. Chairman,
15. We would like to reiterate our particular concern over the trafficking of cultural property and related offences, including the growing involvement of organized criminal groups in all forms and aspects of such crimes, which continues to inflict increasing damage on the cultural heritage of our nations and thus, to our identities.
16. Therefore, we would like to underline the need to promote international cooperation to combat such crime in a concerted manner. In this regard, we welcome the outcome of the third meeting of the expert group on protection against trafficking in cultural property, held in Vienna from 15 to 17 January 2014, which reviewed and finalized the draft guidelines on crime prevention and criminal justice responses with respect to trafficking in cultural property.
17. We wish to recognize the importance of these guidelines as a useful instrument to guide the efforts of Member States, both at the policymaking and capacity-building levels, in the area of protection against trafficking in cultural property, as well as to implement the guidelines in order to strengthen international cooperation in this field. Therefore, we support the adoption of these Guidelines in this 23rd Session of the Commission.
Mr. Chairman,
18. We would like to express our serious concern over cybercrime including the recently emerging trends, such as the intrusion into the national databases and telecommunication systems. At the same time, we would highlight the need for enhanced international cooperation to effectively counter this challenge.
19. We attach great importance to the work of the open-ended intergovernmental expert group to conduct a comprehensive study of the problem of cybercrime and welcome the Comprehensive Study on Cybercrime that examined the problem at the national, sub-regional, regional and international levels. The Group calls upon the Commission to take further steps, through the open-ended intergovernmental expert group to continue examining the problem of cybercrime and the responses to it, for enhanced international cooperation, propose new national and international legal responses to tackle this problem, on the basis of the above comprehensive study on cybercrime.
20. The Group would like to underscore the importance of the challenges posed by emerging forms of crime that have a significant impact on the environment, such as trafficking of protected species of wild flora and fauna. Although, environmental issues are dealt with in different intergovernmental forums, crimes related to the protection of the environment need to receive proper attention from this Commission while avoiding institutional overlap and duplication of work. The Group looks forward to a productive discussion that responds to the call of the Salvador Declaration for Member States to adopt measures for preventing and addressing effectively cases of such emerging forms crime.
Mr. Chairman,
21. We attach great importance to the United Nations Standards and Norms in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, including their review and update, where necessary, in order to respond adequately and effectively to the changing nature of crime. In this context, we look forward to the deliberations during this session with regard to the follow up of the recommendation of the expert groups meetings established by the Commission, in particular, the Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Group on the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, held in Vienna from 25 to 28 March 2014, to exchange information on best practices and on the revision of existing United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the mandate for which the Group believes should be extended to enable it to continue its work.
22. We consider that the application of restorative justice programmes can be a useful complementary mechanism to the ordinary criminal justice system to promote rehabilitation and social reintegration of the offender, and in particular for juvenile offenders.
23. We view that the criminal justice system must aim to protect children, safeguard their rights, and to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against children. Member States are urged to address the need for integrated strategies that create a protective environment and preventive measures and responses to violence against children. We take note with appreciation of the meeting of the expert group on the development of draft Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Bangkok, Thailand from 18 to 21 February 2014 in which the expert group submitted the draft Model Strategies for the consideration of the Commission in this session.
24. We would like to underscore the important role played by the UN Congresses on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in strengthening high-level political will and the commitment of Member States in promoting international cooperation by facilitating exchange of views and experience, mobilizing public opinion and recommending policy options at the national and regional level in the area of crime prevention and criminal justice. We are of the view that these Congresses are ready for a process of streamlining with regard to their organization, outcome and follow-up, to optimize their potential. In this regard, we welcome the efforts made by the State of Qatar for the hosting of the 13th Congress.
Mr. Chairman,
25. We would like to reiterate our concern on the emerging trends in the criminal activities in the urban settings in some parts of the world. In this regard, we consider that the prevention of such trends has to be integrated as a cross cutting issue into all social and economic policies, public health and programmes including employment, education, housing and urban planning, justice system and social services. In this regard there is also a need to counter gang-related activities and their ties with transnational organized crime, when they exist.
26. We also highlight that, it is necessary to continue supporting the work done and initiatives promoted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to exchange good practices that integrate crime prevention and criminal justice. In this regard, we underscore the importance of enhancing technical assistance, capacity-building and training programmes to counter and prevent urban crime.
Mr. Chairman,
27. We welcome the action taken by the recent reconvened session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the CCPCJ on 13 December 2013, related to the extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (FINGOV). We also reiterate that FINGOV should become a permanent consultative body of the Commissions, thus facilitating a more active participation and engagement by Member States.
28. We hope that the working group, through its renewed mandate, will be provided with concrete steps in appropriately addressing the fragile financial situation as well as governance gaps of the UNODC. In this regard, we expect that the UNODC’s strategic framework for 2016-2017 is effectively implemented in line with its programme of work and planned activities.
29. We would like to reiterate our position on this occasion to request the Secretariat, through you, to provide the Commission at its 24th session and from then onwards at each reconvened session, details regarding staff strength of the UNODC, including at its headquarters and regional/country offices, based on geographical distribution and gender balance. Such details may include country-wise details of the UNODC staff. We would also appreciate in this regard, detailed information as to how the UNODC staff, based on geographical distribution and gender balance, is spread out in different sections of the UNODC headquarters.
30. We would like to highlight the provisional character of the UNODC’s budget for the biennium 2014-2015 and underscore the need to further discuss the proposed full cost recovery model at the reconvened session of the CND and CCPCJ in December this year. We further underscore the need that the budget document of the UNODC should also contain financial details pertaining to staff distribution and other related characteristics.
Mr. Chairman,
31. This Session of the Commission is timely for reassessing our work. Hopefully the outcome of this meeting will pave the way for better global responses and concerted actions in countering the challenges in the years ahead.
32. Finally, the Group wishes you and the members of the Bureau success in your work.
Thank you very much for your attention.
G-77 and China Statement on the Agenda Item 3: Strategic management, budgetary and administrative questions on the 23rd session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) on 12 May 2014
Mr. Chairman,
1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and I am pleased to convey to you our pleasure in seeing you preside over this 23rd session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretariat for the excellent preparation of this session.
Mr. Chairman,
2. With regard to the issue of our concern in this agenda item, let me reiterate the Group´s position to welcome the action taken by the recent reconvened session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the CCPCJ on 13 December 2013, related to the extension of the mandate of the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (FINGOV).
3. The FINGOV's positive role as a formal body is recognized widely in so far that it constitutes an appropriate forum for a fruitful dialogue on UNODC's programme development and implementation in a consultation and reviewing process, strengthening the trust and deepening the understanding between Member States and the Secretariat, as well as between Member States themselves. In that regard, we would like to re-emphasize that FINGOV should become a permanent consultative body of the Commissions, thus facilitating a more active participation and engagement by Member States.
4. We also hope that the working group, through its renewed mandate, will be provided with concrete steps in appropriately addressing the fragile financial situation as well as governance gaps of the UNODC. In this regard, we expect that the UNODC’s strategic framework for 2016-2017 could be effectively implemented in line with its programme of work and planned activities.
Mr. Chairman,
5. On this occasion, we would like to reiterate our position to request the Secretariat, through you, to provide the Commission at its 24th session and from then onwards at each reconvened session, details regarding staff strength of the UNODC, including at its headquarters and regional/country offices, based on geographical distribution and gender balance. Such details may include country-wise details of the UNODC staff.
6. We would also appreciate in this regard, detailed information as to how the UNODC staff, based on geographical distribution and gender balance, is spread out in different sections of the UNODC headquarters.
7. On the issue of budgetary, we would like to highlight the provisional character of the UNODC’s budget for the biennium 2014-2015 and underscore the need to further discuss the trial new funding model (full cost recovery model) at the reconvened session of the CND and CCPCJ in December this year.
8. Furthermore, the group emphasizes that the implementation of the trial new funding model described in the consolidated budget for the biennium 2014-2015 includes the clear understanding that it should not entail any reduction in the scope and functions of the field offices of the UNODC, or affect the locations of these offices;
9. We further underscore the need that the budget document of the UNODC should also contain financial details pertaining to staff distribution and other related characteristics.
