Statement of the G-77 and China during the Twenty-Eighth Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, 20-24 May 2019 delivered by H.E. Ambassador Omar Amer Youssef, Permanent Representative of Egypt
Vienna, 20 MAY 2019
Excellencies,
Madam Chair,
1. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China in Vienna, allow me to congratulate you on your election as Chair of the 28th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), as well as to the other members of the Bureau. You can count on the full support of the Group for the successful conclusion of this meeting.
2. The Group also commends the Secretariat for the good preparations for this session.
Madam Chair,
3. The Group of 77 and China emphasizes the continuing importance of effective implementation by the States Parties, of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and the three international drug control conventions, as well as the international conventions and protocols related to countering terrorism. The Group encourages all Member States that have not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to the aforementioned instruments.
4. The Group would like to welcome the establishment of a Mechanism for the Review of the Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which should serve as an important tool to improve the implementation of the Convention and Protocols by State Parties and improve international cooperation as well as identifying technical assistance needs.
5. The Group also welcomes the progress made by States Parties in implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and in this context also expresses satisfaction of the current implementation of the second cycle of the UNCAC Review Mechanism. The Group looks forward to effective review of the implementation of Chapter II (prevention) and Chapter V (asset recovery) of the Convention.
Madam Chair,
6. The Group takes note of this year’s thematic discussion on the responsibility of effective, fair, humane and accountable criminal justice systems in preventing and countering crime motivated by intolerance or discrimination of any kind. We look forward to a fruitful exchange of views in this regard, in order to strengthen efforts against such crimes, while respecting national legal frameworks.
Madam Chair,
7. The Group attaches great importance to combating Trafficking in Persons. Any strategy to combat this crime should give due importance to addressing root causes, the prevention aspect, promoting effective law enforcement, and providing assistance to victims, especially women and children, as well as to the demand aspect of this problem.
8. The Group also attaches great importance to combating smuggling of migrants, while protecting the rights of smuggled migrants. In this regard, the Group remains concerned regarding the violation of the rights of migrants, and urges the international community to ensure that human rights of smuggled migrants, particularly unaccompanied children and adolescents, are respected and that the safety and security of smuggled migrants are granted utmost priority regardless of their immigration status, nationality, gender, ethnicity, age or religion. In this connection, the Group strongly encourages all States Parties to the Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants of the UNTOC, to avoid making migrants liable to criminal prosecution as stated in Article 5 of the Protocol, while ensuring that organized criminal Groups are brought to justice.
9. The Group also remains concerned regarding the persistent problem of illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts, components and ammunition, and emphasizes the need for effective implementation by States Parties, of the Firearms Protocol to the UNTOC.
Madam Chair,
10. The Group reiterates the necessity to take urgent measures to prevent, prosecute and deter all forms of corruption, as well as the transfer abroad and laundering of assets derived from corruption, and to deny safe havens to any legal or natural person who has committed or is liable for an act of corruption, and the proceeds of the crime. In this regard, the Group insists on the need to strengthen international cooperation for their identification, freezing and seizure, as well as to speed up their recovery and return without restrictions and in accordance with Chapter V of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and Resolution 6/2 of the Conference of the State Parties to the UNCAC.
11. The Group reiterates that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, remains a major challenge, and stresses the need for enhancing international cooperation in this area. The Group also reaffirms that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, civilization, nationality or ethnicity, and reiterates that all efforts to counter it should be in line with international law.
12. The Group also underscores the importance of enhancing efforts to address the challenges posed by emerging forms of transnational organized crime such as trafficking in endangered species of wildlife, including flora and fauna as protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, timber and timber products, illegal mining, fisheries related crimes, hazardous waste, as well as poaching.
13. The Group wishes to express its particular concern for the illicit trafficking of cultural property and related offences, including the involvement of organized criminal Groups, and stresses the need to enhance efforts and international cooperation to combat this crime, as well as facilitate and speed up the return to the country of origin, taking into account domestic legislation and the International Guidelines for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Responses With Respect to trafficking in cultural property and other related offenses, adopted by the General Assembly.
14. The Group also reiterates its serious concern regarding cybercrime. The Group supports the essential role of the United Nations in the fight against cybercrime, and welcomes the work of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Expert Group to Conduct a Comprehensive Study on the Problem of Cybercrime. The Group encourages Member States to continue to exchange information on national legislation, best practices, and international cooperation, with a view to examine options to strengthen existing responses and to propose new national and international legal or other responses to cybercrime in all its forms and manifestations, including, in some cases, the use of the internet for terrorist purposes.
15. The Group expresses its serious concern over any form of ranking of Member States for the purposes of international cooperation in criminal matters as well as corruption. In this sense, it calls upon all Member States as well as other relevant regional and international organizations to avoid such rankings and unilateral actions and sanctions that might weaken the international cooperation framework and Member States capabilities to fight against such crimes.
16. The Group acknowledges the increasing links between transnational organized crime and other illicit activities, in particular drug related crime and money laundering and, in some cases, terrorism and its financing, and emphasizes the continuing need to address such links as part of our collective efforts aimed at crime prevention and criminal justice.
17. The Group appreciates the achievements of the Thirteenth Crime Congress and the efforts to implement its outcome document, the Doha Declaration.
18. The Group takes note of the ongoing efforts to prepare for the 14th Crime Congress scheduled to be held in Kyoto in 2020. The Group looks forward to a successful Crime Congress.
19. To conclude, the Group wishes to emphasize the need to enhance international cooperation, including through the provision of concrete capacity building, upon request, to prevent and combat transnational organized crime. The Group calls upon UNODC to enhance capacity-building and technical assistance to developing countries, and wishes to underline the continuing need for predictable, effective and sustainable resources for UNODC in order for the Office to scale up its capacity-building initiatives in response to the needs of Member States.
