Vienna Chapter
Mr. President,
The Group would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest
condolences and sympathy to the people and Governments of Pakistan,
Afghanistan and India for the recent earthquake which caused loss of
thousands of human lives and damage to properties.
Permit me to express on behalf of the Group of 77 and China my warm
congratulations to you on your election as well as to other members of the
Bureau to direct the proceedings of this Second Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. I
wish to assure you of the Group's support in the task ahead.
The Group welcomes the entry into force of the protocol on fire arms
as well as the increasing number of ratifications of the Convention
against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto, since the
last session. The Convention and its protocols constitute a framework for
international cooperation.
The G-77 and China believes that the main role of the COP is to
enhance the implementation of the Convention and its protocols through the
establishment of mechanisms to facilitate this aim. Therefore the Group
attaches great importance to the agenda items of this session, especially
agenda item 6 on technical assistance activities.
As the COP embarks upon the activities envisaged under the Convention
and its protocols, the Group wishes to recall the commitments undertaken
during the negotiations of the Convention and its protocols to provide
technical assistance to the developing countries for their implementation,
in accordance with Article 30 of the Convention.
Mr. President,
We would like to recall the Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice,
which recognized that comprehensive crime prevention must address the root
causes related to crime through social, economic, health, education and
justice policies. In this context, we call upon the international
community to assist developing countries in effectively addressing the
root causes of crime and for better implementation of the TOC convention.
The Convention and its three protocols represent a significant step
forward in the fight against transnational organized crime and signifies
the collective will of Member States to promote cooperation and combat
transnational organized crime more effectively through close and dynamic
international cooperation including the adoption of concrete measures for
mutual legal assistance, extradition, law- enforcement, technical
assistance and training.
As regards the mechanisms to review periodically the implementation
of the Convention and its Protocols which are already in force, the G-77
and China believes that such mechanisms must include technical assistance
projects aimed at better implementation of the Convention by State
parties. The process leading to the adoption of these mechanisms must be
open to all Member States with a view to encourage the ratification and to
ensure the universal character of the convention. Any reviewing process
should aim at improving the implementation of technical assistance
projects. In this context, the follow-up evaluation of the technical
assistance projects would in effect be the review of the implementation of
the Convention.
Mr. President
The G-77 and China expresses its appreciation to the UNODC for
organizing the Round Table Meeting on Africa with the theme "Crime
and Drugs as impediments to Security and Development in Africa", that
took place in Abuja, Nigeria from 5-6 September 2005. The Group hopes that
the African States will benefit from the implementation of the Programme
of Action that emanated from the meeting and it would facilitate the
implementation of the TOC Convention. The Group calls upon UNODC to take
similar initiatives for other regions in accordance with their
requirements and upon their request.
The Group would like to highlight the challenges faced by Member
States in the implementation of the TOC, especially on issues related to
capacity and capability of Member States in solving the problems of the
victims of human trafficking especially women and children. The Group
calls upon UNODC to provide technical assistance and cooperation to Member
States in meeting these challenges.
Thank you Mr. President.
Mr. President,
The G-77 and China has keenly followed the discussions in the Plenary
regarding the issue of providing technical assistance. We believe this is
one of the most important elements of the implementation of the UN
Convention against TOC, as has already been stated in our opening
statement to the second session of the COP.
The Group wishes to recall its proposal for a working group on
technical assistance during the first session of the COP. We welcome the
non paper circulated by the US delegation on establishing an interim
working group in this regard and wishes to make the following comments:
It is the Group's firm view that any working group on technical
assistance has to be an open-ended group and that any separate core or
representative group is not necessary. It is also the Group's view that
the interim working group should work under the authority of the President
and the Bureau of the COP.
We would like to suggest that the mandate of this working group
should be of general nature related to providing effective technical
assistance. It should not go into specific details as contained in the
non-paper under circulation. The mandate of the interim working group
should flow from article 32.1 as well as articles 29 to 31 of the
Convention, which could be discussed at the current session of the COP.
The Group is of the view that funding for the administrative support
of the interim working group should be within existing resources.
The interim working group should meet during the session of the COP
and as necessary during the intersessional period and report to the COP.
Mr. President,
The Group looks forward to working with other Member States in
evolving the mandate of this working group in the current session of the
COP.
Thank you Mr. President.
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