A/64/PV.99 General Assembly

I would like to start by thanking you, Madam, and everyone else. (spoke in Arabic) At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts undertaken by the General Assembly to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime through the organization of this high-level meeting to promote universal adherence to the Convention and its Protocols and to strengthen overall international cooperation among member countries and within the international community with a view to combating the proliferation of transnational organized crime through international, regional and subregional initiatives. By the same token, I would also like to commend the many efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to provide the requisite technical and technological assistance to member countries, especially developing countries, so as to enhance and develop their national capabilities and reinforce their abilities to develop their human resources and national institutions in the face of the numerous social scourges plaguing international society today, including terrorism, corruption and transnational organized crime in all its forms. A series of economic, political and social transformations have posed daunting challenges to the international community and hindered the ability of its members to combat the multifaceted dimensions of transnational crime. In today’s globalized world, the root causes of transnational organized crime are interlinked. Thus, in the light of the interdependence and dangerous linkages among various forms of transnational organized crime, we cannot address such crimes as trafficking in persons or drugs or money- laundering in isolation. The promotion of universal adherence to the Convention and its Protocols is highly dependent on international and regional efforts to address the linkages between such crimes as trafficking in persons or the smuggling of migrants, on the one hand, and trafficking in drugs, money-laundering and the financing of terrorism, on the other. While Egypt commends the efforts and programmes of the United Nations and the existing cooperation among UNODC, international and regional partners and the national authorities of Member States, there is still a need to improve the partnership between the United Nations and the African continent, including through initiatives and global plans of action to address the implementation of the Convention and its additional Protocols. In this context, I would like to emphasize that the success of reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in Africa is inextricably linked to United Nations support for the countries of Africa in the implementation of their national action plans and strategies to combat organized crime. Moreover, the failure of such strategies jeopardizes peacebuilding efforts in Africa, fuels conflicts at all levels, provides financing to global terrorist networks, and hinders African efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. In this regard, we need to maintain the momentum generated by international cooperation in combating transnational organized crime by developing strategies and global plans of action through the United Nations in order to strengthen cooperation in this field and support regional and national capacities to formulate comprehensive transnational cooperation frameworks based on the national capacities of Member States and taking into account the specificities and root causes of the main problems in a manner that would contribute to the realization of universal adherence to the Convention. International efforts in combating trafficking in persons and the sexual exploitation of women and children still require a great deal of support. Despite the existence of numerous international instruments to counter this phenomenon, culminating with the Convention and its Protocols, including the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, the international statistics indicate that more than 12 million individuals, mostly women and children, are suffering under forced labour, and that the profits of the sexual exploitation of women and children has exceeded $28 billion dollars. These alarming figures make trafficking in persons — be it for the purpose sexual exploitation, forced labour or trade in human organs — the third largest and most profitable organized crime activity in the world after arms and drug trafficking. In this context, we must recognize that current international, regional and national efforts are insufficient to combat this phenomenon. Thus, over the past few years, Egypt has launched a comprehensive national campaign to combat trafficking in persons involving all concerned governmental, legislative, social and political institutions. The campaign is wisely and efficiently led by the First Lady of Egypt, whose participation in the Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking, organized within the framework of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking in Vienna in February 2008, and the launching of the global campaign entitled “End Trafficking in Human Beings Now”, under the auspices of the Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement, has played a major role in advancing the importance of this issue on the global agenda. Furthermore, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs acts as the national focal point for all Egyptian authorities working to harmonize the implementation of national policies and coordinate national efforts to combat and prevent the trafficking in persons, protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice. As Egypt came to recognize the international and regional dimensions of this terrible crime and the fact that Africa is among the regions of the world most severally affected by such atrocities, it successfully mobilized African efforts to combat them. Our efforts culminated in the adoption of a resolution at the African Union summit in Sharm el-Sheikh that confirmed Africa’s support for and full engagement in the drafting of a global plan of action to include common and shared principles and provisions formulated under similar African, Asian, European, regional and Arab strategies and action plans, in coordination with active national, regional and international partners and under the leadership of the President of the General Assembly. Furthermore, the Sharm el-Sheikh Declaration adopted by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at its fifteenth Summit Conference of Heads of State or Government in July 2009 reflected the clear commitment of the members of the Movement, which Egypt has the honour to lead for the coming three years, to working towards the adoption of a global plan to eradicate trafficking in human beings. This attitude reflects the growing understanding of the African Union and NAM that the current legal framework for combating the traffic in persons needs to be complemented by a global plan of action as the implementation framework for operationalizing related strategies, programmes and cooperation. We are confident that all regional groups and political gatherings within the United Nations will spare no effort to support our ongoing negotiations on a United Nations global plan of action. In conclusion, Egypt strongly condemns terrorist attacks, regardless of their motivations and justifications. Such incidents highlight the need to comprehensively address the root causes of terrorism, especially its political, economic and security aspects. In this regard, Egypt re-emphasizes the need to reinvigorate the process of negotiating a comprehensive convention on terrorism and to reconsider the definition of terrorist acts, taking into consideration the difference between terrorist acts and legitimate acts carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law by national liberation movements in exercise of their right to self-determination. The adoption of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy represented a major turning point in the international community’s position on the issue, placing greater emphasis on the need to promote and review a comprehensive international cooperation framework for combating the phenomenon. In this respect, Egypt believes that it is high time to convene an international conference against terrorism that would agree a definition of terrorism, differentiate between legal rules for combating terrorism and those of international humanitarian law, and contribute to the negotiations of a comprehensive convention on terrorism. We hope that such a conference will be held as soon as possible. In this connection, the review of the implementation of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in September and the formulation of a global plan of action to combat trafficking in human beings are of increasing significance as clear pillars for strong international cooperation. We look forward to an ongoing review that will lead to better results in the near future.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation.

We live in an age of globalization that offers immense possibilities for the economic, social and political development of society. However, open borders, free market concepts and various technological achievements are not only of benefit to the peoples of the world, but are actively used by the organizers of organized crime, reaching beyond national borders and spreading their tentacles across the world. On the long list of the international community’s strategic priorities in fighting transnational crime, terrorism, the illegal drug trade, human trafficking, corruption and cybercrime are at the very top. These and other crimes threaten world economic growth and hinder the harmonious development of national societies. In today’s world, the only effective way to counter these phenomena is for all States to undertake joint efforts based on a solid international legal basis. Russia has consistently favoured harnessing the full potential of the United Nations in developing an agreed international strategy and a universal legal basis for the international community to prevent crime and advance criminal justice. In this context, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the tenth anniversary of which we are celebrating, and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption are of fundamental importance for strengthening the global front against crime. Their adoption was a breakthrough in the consolidation of our efforts to combat organized crime. We call on all States to accede to these instruments. We must pursue our efforts to establish, under United Nations auspices, a systemic anti-criminal strategy that would set clear priorities in countering new criminal challenges and threats. At the fifth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Palermo Convention, which will take place in October in Vienna, it will be important to consider ways and means to enhance the anti-criminal potential of the world community and key aspects of the functioning of the Convention, including the issue of assistance to States parties in fulfilling their treaty obligations. With regard to a review mechanism for the implementation of the Palermo Convention, a gradual or progressive approach to this issue is needed, taking into account the experience of the review mechanism for the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Russia considers the fight against drugs originating from Afghanistan to be one of the most important efforts to counter transnational organized crime. Afghan territory continues to be the principle source of opiates and hashish worldwide. We are seeing an extremely negative trend, including coordination and infrastructure sharing by drug producers and terrorist organizations in that country. Russia considers the decisions taken in the framework of the Paris Pact Initiative, under United Nations auspices, to be a good basis for increased international cooperation in fighting the threat of Afghan drugs. Russia is assisting many States to train law enforcement personnel to counter organized crime. Russian law enforcement authorities and, in particular, the Ministry of the Interior are providing such assistance to States members of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Afghanistan. We are organizing courses, together with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to train experts of States parties to review implementation of the Convention against Corruption. Russia believes that the United Nations still has untapped potential with regard to treaty-based international law. Areas such as cybercrime are still under consideration in terms of international law, and we underscore the importance of adopting a comprehensive international convention against cybercrime. In that regard, we welcome the outcome of the twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. The Salvador Declaration, adopted at the Congress, sets out recommendations on measures to be undertaken by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, including the convening of an open-ended intergovernmental expert group on cybercrime, which would be a positive development. We believe that another important element in the context of international cooperation against crime could be a comprehensive convention on extradition and mutual legal assistance. We believe that agreement on such a convention would be a positive step. In order to provide more effective assistance to States in countering organized crime under the auspices of the United Nations, we need to strengthen the analytical potential of its key body in that area, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The UNOCD should play a key role and improve its analysis of global trends in transnational criminal activity, as well as summarizing and disseminating best practices in countering criminal threats. Russia sees significant added value in public- private partnership to fight many kinds of criminal activity. We call on States and the private sector to carry out appropriate programmes. We note the experience of UNODC and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute in that field. Considering the magnitude of the challenge that crime poses to the international community, the Russian Federation believes that such issues should not be lost among the other priorities of the United Nations. We welcome the initiative of the General Assembly and other United Nations entities in drawing particular attention to those issues and in actively contributing to the strengthening of global efforts against crime. Russia reiterates its commitment to continued constructive cooperation to establish, under the aegis of the United Nations, a common policy and legislation on fighting crime and to greater international cooperation on law enforcement and efforts to harmonize national procedures and law enforcement practices.

I now give the floor to the representative of Austria.

Let me thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this meeting on the important occasion of the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime — the Palermo Convention — and its Protocols. Austria fully aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Spain on behalf of the European Union at the 97th plenary meeting and would like to make a few additional remarks today. As the Security Council recently noted (see S/PRST/2010/4), transnational organized crime constitutes an increasing threat to peace and security. It endangers democracy and respect for human rights and undermines development. In States where the rule of law is weakened, it may pose a continuous threat to political and economic stability. As highlighted in the very recent report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) entitled “The globalization of crime”, international criminal markets and networks have become major centres of power. The Palermo Convention is the main international instrument to tackle the complex phenomenon of organized crime. Consequently, it is of utmost importance that all States sign and ratify the Convention and the Protocols thereto and adopt laws at the national and local levels to implement those international instruments. One third of United Nations Member States have still not become Parties to the Convention and its Protocols. In that respect, we commend the excellent work done by UNODC in promoting universal ratification and providing assistance to stakeholders and its efforts to facilitate international cooperation. It is now time for the establishment of a strong and effective review mechanism for the Palermo Convention. Such a mechanism would help to raise awareness of the Convention, strengthen international cooperation and improve our capacity to respond to the threat of transnational organized crime. We also think that civil society organizations should play an important role in this process. We hope that the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which will hold its fifth session in Vienna in October, will finalize a mechanism to monitor compliance. One of the most serious crimes that we face today is human trafficking. Despite an international ban and all efforts to prevent it, this modern form of slavery persists. Millions of persons are trafficked worldwide every year, with the most vulnerable, especially children, being particularly at risk. In our global efforts to fight human trafficking, Austria is strongly committed to a human-rights-based approach. It is party to all relevant legal instruments and considers the fulfilment of its obligations a priority. Moreover, we attach equal importance to each of the four Ps: prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership. Austria supports the excellent work of UNODC and welcomes the valuable contribution of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking in that field. Austria is closely following the ongoing negotiations on a global plan of action on human trafficking. Terrorism is increasingly interlinked with transnational organized crime. That challenge can only be effectively countered through a coordinated global approach, for which the United Nations is the appropriate forum. We very much appreciate the excellent work done by the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch in providing technical assistance and capacity-building in that field. Corruption is a major obstacle to the development of States. In that context, I would like to draw attention to the International Anti-Corruption Academy, which will be established in Laxenburg, near Vienna, Austria, later this year. The Academy is a joint initiative of UNODC and Austria and is strongly supported by the European Anti-Fraud Office and a growing family of other international stakeholders. The institution will function as an international, interdisciplinary and intercultural centre of excellence in the fields of anti-corruption education, training, cooperation and research. It will make a significant contribution to the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Academy will foster exchanges among experts, academics, civil servants, practitioners from the private sector and representatives of civil society organizations. It aims at professionalizing and improving the effectiveness of anti-corruption work and at developing standards and best practices for anti-corruption research and education. On 2 and 3 September, representatives of the various stakeholders, including United Nations Member States, international organizations, the private sector and civil society will be invited to a conference in Vienna in order to strengthen the Academy’s foundations. Austria has strongly supported the establishment of the Academy and will continue to do so in the future.

I now give the floor to the representative of Germany.

Germany aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Spain on behalf of the European Union. My delegation highly appreciates the initiative of the President to convene this high-level meeting, which underlines the crucial importance of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. That document is not only the most significant legal document on countering international organized crime. It is also an indispensable road map for international action against existing and upcoming threats arising from organized criminal activity. The three optional Protocols to the Convention, dealing with trafficking in human persons, the smuggling of migrants and firearms, are also of utmost importance to us. Germany ratified the Convention and two of the Protocols in 2006 and has fully implemented appropriate legislation in order to ratify the firearms Protocol. The value of this meeting of the General Assembly is in raising additional awareness among Governments, practitioners, the media and the public. Let us join forces to counter this extremely dangerous scourge, which threatens not only individuals, but whole societies, economies and States. The fifth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention, which will take place in October in Vienna, is the appropriate forum to drive our common agenda in countering organized crime further. It will assemble 155 countries that have ratified or acceded to the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and we call on those States that have not yet done so to make its ratification a priority. Germany appreciates the outlook given on previous occasions to new phenomena in the field of crime, such as cybercrime, identity fraud, environmental crime, piracy, counterfeited products and medicines, and illicit trafficking in cultural property. It is indeed very important to take a close look at these issues and to consider the kind of necessary steps the international community should take. Our common task is to ensure, first and foremost, that the already existing legal instruments are fully and comprehensively implemented and that we make use of those forums that are already in place and functional. We are deeply convinced that the great majority of emerging crime issues can be addressed appropriately through existing instruments, in particular the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. We should take a cautious stance on the creation of new instruments of international law, such as conventions or protocols. Any effort towards drafting a new legal instrument should be preceded by a thorough investigation of the real need for such an instrument and of its potential added value. We should also be sensitive to those fields and cases which by and large lie within the responsibility of other United Nations agencies, such as UNESCO, as is the case for the protection of cultural property. We should make sure to avoid unnecessary duplication, taking into account the important goal of the United Nations reform agenda, namely, to achieve greater simplification and harmonization in our efforts and tools. We must make sure that the tasks delegations give to the United Nations organs and agencies are dovetailed to the maximum extent possible. Let me conclude by thanking the President of the General Assembly and the organizers of this special meeting for giving us the chance to discuss and reflect on such a vital issue. We have to continue to optimize our efforts in fighting organized crime. It will neither cease nor go away unless we step up our pressure against it. Germany is prepared to contribute its share.

I now give the floor to the representative of Qatar. Miss Al-Thani (Qatar) (spoke in Arabic): Allow me first to thank the President for having convened this special high-level meeting and organized last week’s interactive dialogue. This is an important step in intensifying political efforts to strengthen the legal framework of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols. This meeting is being held in the context of globalization because transnational organized crime has impacted many States. All States are exposed to the security, political and economic threats posed by this phenomenon. Moreover, cybercrime has also developed in this globalized world, requiring cooperation and coordination among States in order to address this new form of transnational crime, which transcends national geographic borders, tests our capacities and expertise, and highlights the need for new methods to deal with non-conventional criminals. Cybercrime is no ordinary crime. International and regional understanding and exchange of expertise are needed to address the new developments in criminal technology. We therefore call for international and regional cooperation and coordination to prevent this crime and uphold criminal justice. Given the importance of this issue, on 10 March 2008 we joined the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. On 29 May 2009, we also acceded to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children. We have hosted a number of international conferences on crime prevention, including the 2008 United Nations conference and last year’s second INTERPOL meeting on information technology for the Middle East and North Africa. I am happy to report that Qatar will host the thirteenth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Doha in 2015, in accordance with the resolution adopted at the twelfth Congress in Salvador, Brazil, in April 2010. Bilaterally, competent Qatari authorities are pursuing constructive cooperation and coordination with regional and friendly countries to exchange information on fast-emerging developments in organized crime. We are pursuing consultations with friendly countries to define our national positions in international conferences on transnational crime and other legal problems, such as fighting corruption. In the fight against corruption, we have also adopted a number of measures to address transnational crime, money-laundering and trafficking in persons. Human trafficking is one of the worst manifestations of transnational organized crime. The victim may be a citizen of a country other than that where the crime is planned and perpetrated, or the criminal may flee to a country other than that where the crime was committed. That is why we need cooperation and coordination among States. In March, we hosted a forum on the Arab initiative to build national capacities and train Government officials in the fight against human trafficking. The conference called for greater security coordination and cooperation in information and expertise exchange in the extradition, apprehension and tracking of criminals in order to bring them to justice. In the General Assembly, Qatar is a member of the Group of Friends of the Convention against Human Trafficking and participates in ongoing consultations to develop a global plan of action to combat human trafficking. Such a plan is necessary and important to the implementation of the Convention. The plan of action should therefore be finalized as soon as possible, before the end of the sixty-fourth session of the General Assembly, particularly since its major guidelines have already been outlined by the two facilitators appointed for that purpose.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Ecuador.

For Ecuador, the phenomenon of transnational organized crime, being a global problem, should be addressed collectively by the international community. My country also believes that bilateral cooperation is fundamentally important, particularly among neighbouring countries, as a coordination mechanism to bring together plans, policies and national projects. Cooperation should be rooted in all cases in the basic principles of coexistence and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States. The full implementation of the Convention and its Protocols is the basis for achieving transparent, comprehensive and objective international cooperation, which avoids unilateral practices and evaluations that diminish its effect and scope and distort the fundamental objectives of those instruments. Among the various forms of international crime, human trafficking is probably one of the most abominable. It is a contemporary form of slavery and, because of its disastrous consequences and the high vulnerability of its victims, it can be considered a crime against humanity. This cruel crime should be approached from the point of view of shared responsibility, given that criminal organizations use social and economic conditions such as poverty in developing countries to meet the huge appetite for sexual exploitation, pornography and degrading, clandestine work in so-called consumer countries. This behaviour converts the human being into mere merchandise, leading even to the abominable traffic in human organs. For these reasons, Ecuador, my country, supports the initiative to adopt a global United Nations strategy against trafficking in persons through a plan of action or other similar mechanism, which will provide a coherent, balanced and comprehensive framework for the effective application of the Convention and its Protocols. We are pleased to have supported the various resolutions on this matter that have been negotiated in various United Nations forums. Such an international instrument would make it possible to fill existing legal gaps, and we call upon all States to accede to this and other initiatives to put an end to this transnational evil. Like that of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, the full implementation of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air requires immediate action with respect to international cooperation in the framework of the three pillars of this instrument: prevention, protection and the punishment of criminal organizations devoted to these activities in countries of origin, transit and destination. Due to their clandestine nature and the victims’ fear of reprisal, these criminal organizations are very difficult to dismantle. There is no doubt that we cannot strengthen our fight against the trafficking of migrants while the current poverty and inequality faced by developing countries persist and while borders continue to be closed, with all kinds of restrictions to migration and legal mechanisms that violate fundamental human rights. Rather than punishing the criminal gangs that profit from this trafficking, these laws actually penalize migrants. For Ecuador, there are no illegal human beings. On the contrary, what we are seeing are illegal procedures that threaten human dignity. Therefore, Ecuador believes in the implementation of international law, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, among others. This is the ideal way to bring about effective cooperation in the area of prevention, protection and punishment of illegal trafficking in migrants. The Protocol and the Convention are complementary and mutually reinforcing. Ecuador regrets that many countries that host migrants have not ratified the Convention and that, on the contrary, they have toughened their migration policy with measures that criminalize migrant human beings instead of furthering the prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators of these crimes. At the national level, Ecuador has made significant progress in recent years in implementing the Convention and its Protocols. Our national plan to combat human trafficking was adopted in August of 2006, through an interdisciplinary exercise between the Government and civil society, and is aimed at combating trafficking in persons, particularly women, children, teenagers and other vulnerable groups. In order to meet the provisions of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants, Ecuador adopted a national migrant plan that allows for voluntary returns under dignified and sustainable conditions, through economic and social incentives in order to discourage this trafficking. With regard to money-laundering and illicit financing, since 2005 a law to repress money- laundering has been in force in Ecuador. It punishes not just drug trafficking and its associated crimes, but all other illicit activity that endangers human security and the stability of the State and its society. This law permits us to justly apply the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and those arising from the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and other related instruments that Ecuador has adopted, signed and ratified. Our legislation considers money-laundering to be an autonomous crime, with no need to demonstrate crimes preceding the money-laundering. That is the case for the financing of terrorism, which is viewed as an illicit activity, since terrorism is considered a crime in the Ecuadorian criminal code. Ecuador invests enormous economic and human resources to fight the crime of money-laundering, including money that could have a direct or indirect link to terrorism. For that reason, my country rejects the unjust and hasty decision to include it in February’s finding on money- laundering by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). In this context, Ecuador is prepared to receive a high- level commission of FATF and the South American Financial Action Task Force against Money Laundering so that, in situ, we can confirm and evaluate the significant progress that Ecuador has in fact made in the areas of fighting terrorism, money-laundering, the financing of terrorism and other forms of organized crime. Finally, Ecuador reaffirms that it will continue to cooperate decisively with the international community to eradicate these scourges, while always maintaining absolute respect for human rights and for the international legal instruments to which my country is party.

I now give the floor to the representative of Belarus.

The problem of combating transnational organized crime takes on particular significance in the run-up to the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Along with the financial, food and energy crises, transnational organized crime not only threatens to delay the international community’s attainment of the MDGs but also threatens to reverse some of the positive results already achieved. The Assembly’s adoption 10 years ago of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols on trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants and its subsequent adoption of the Protocol on the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms were correct and timely steps. Much has been done on the national and international levels. However, while we may have done something over the past decade to restrain transnational organized crime, in no way have we put an end to it. To achieve more tangible success we have to change our approach to the fight against transnational crime. Today apart from collaboration and coordination of law enforcement efforts, our partnership needs to involve all stakeholders, including international organizations, civil society, the private sector and the mass media. Belarus sees making broader use of the tool of partnership as key to success in this effort. Partnership is a collaborative mechanism to which there is no alternative in a pluralist and diverse world. We consider that this approach is realistic and has a future. Together with our Group of Friends united against human trafficking, we are also pursuing this effort on the global level and through collaborative work within the General Assembly. We are convinced that a global plan will truly help to activate and render more effective our joint fight against human trafficking on the basis of compliance with all existing international legal instruments. Today we call upon all Member States to make the maximum effort to complete work on a global plan of action at this session of the General Assembly. We would thereby be making an important contribution not only to combating transnational organized crime and human trafficking but also in ensuring the conditions necessary for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

It is a real pleasure for me, Madam, to take the floor as you preside over this meeting. Allow me, first of all, to take this opportunity to express to the President of the General Assembly how glad we are to participate in this special high-level meeting of the General Assembly on transnational organized crime, a theme to which Morocco attaches particular importance. My delegation would like to stress the importance that Morocco attaches to the work of the United Nations, particularly that of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which continues to play a driving and coordinating role in international efforts in this area. This year, the international community is celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the launching of the Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime and the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime — the Palermo Convention — and its Protocols. The close relationship among organized crime, terrorism, networks for human trafficking and drug trafficking shows on a daily basis the dangers to which the international community is increasingly exposed and which require coordinated and determined international efforts. Criminal and mafia networks, wherever they are located, undeniably pose a threat to international peace and security. These threats have become more real than ever before, and more complex, interconnected and transnational, particularly given the amount of financial, logistic and technological resources that these criminal and mafia networks are able to mobilize. Rightly, the Security Council has repeatedly referred to the increasingly obvious and worrisome relationship among arms trafficking, drug trafficking and human trafficking in certain areas of the world, and particularly in the Sahelo-Saharan region, where the upsurge in hostage-taking and acts of terrorism clearly poses a real threat to peace and security and stability in those regions and in the States within them. The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice of the Economic and Social Council, which has become a centre for considering the various aspects of transnational organized crime, paved the way for the adoption in November 2000 of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. That instrument has enabled us to deal for the first time with organized crime from a criminal justice standpoint. The entry into force of the Convention and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, its Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air and the United Nations Convention against Corruption sends a strong signal of the international community’s commitment to strengthened practical and coordinated cooperation to combat these scourges. As an extension of these instruments, we would welcome the current efforts to draft a United Nations global plan of action on prevention and suppression of human trafficking which we hope will make it possible to strengthen and make operational the provisions of the Protocol to the Palermo Convention. No country can claim to be able to face by itself the combined threat posed by international crime and the illicit trade in drugs, arms and persons. Regional and subregional cooperation has thus become an essential step that must be taken in dealing with and preventing these scourges. We welcome the endeavours of UNODC and call for support for its work and for the ratification of the relevant Conventions and their Protocols. Following Morocco’s ratification in 2002 of the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, our authorities began the process of harmonizing our laws and regulations with the provisions of the Convention. In particular, we have amended our criminal code and our code of criminal procedure, and we have established coordinated multisectoral national strategies against organized crime. With the same determination, my country has mobilized all its resources to fight the fight against trafficking in migrants. In this context, a comprehensive strategy to combat illegal immigration was initiated in 2003, based on operational, legislative and institutional aspects and those related to socio-economic development and awareness-raising. Of course, this policy was undertaken in partnership with our partners. Concrete results have been noted, including a significant reduction in clandestine flows from Morocco and the crippling of migrant trafficking networks, which have been forced to use other migratory routes. Capitalizing on these successes and wishing to strengthen these activities even further, in 2007 the Morocco authorities put in place a national strategy to fight human trafficking that covers human trafficking in all its forms, which encompasses not only migrants, but all other categories of vulnerable persons and potential victims, particularly women and children. Adding our national efforts to the obligatory regional and international cooperation, my country hosted on 3 and 4 August 2009 in Rabat the first ministerial meeting of African States bordering the Atlantic. This meeting adopted the Rabat Declaration, which advocates regional cooperation mechanisms in areas including security and the fight against drug trafficking. Furthermore, my country organized in Rabat in May 2008, in cooperation with UNODC, the fifth Conference of Justice Ministers of Francophone African Countries, where we prepared a draft international convention on judicial cooperation and extradition in the framework of the fight against terrorism, which opened for signature in March 2009 in New York. Signatory countries have now begun the ratification process. The Conference also adopted the Rabat Declaration on the implementation of universal instruments against terrorism and crime. In conclusion, let me say that the diverse strategies implemented on the national level are important for reducing the threat posed by transnational crime. But these plans cannot be implemented in the absence of sustained international cooperation and appropriate technical assistance. Only by combining all of these efforts, and with the political will that supports them, will we be able to guarantee the desired effectiveness of international action to fight transnational organized crime.

I now give the floor to the representative of Japan.

On behalf of the delegation of Japan, I would like to express my appreciation to the President of the General Assembly for having convened this meeting. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. For at least those 10 years, the international community has made a sustained effort to combat transnational organized crime. The international community has also strengthened its efforts to counter illicit drug trafficking, which is closely connected to transnational organized crime. However, even with those coordinated efforts by the international community to combat the serious threat posed by transnational organized crime, we cannot truly say that the situation today is better than it was 10 years ago. In fact, the challenges we face now are even more serious and complex. I shall identify the major reasons why that is the case. The first is the negative impact of globalization. While the development of transportation and computer networks and advances in information technology and financial systems have made cross-border movement easy for people, merchandise and money, they have also facilitated cross-border human trafficking and smuggling, trade in illicit arms and drugs and the movement of the proceeds of criminal activity. They have also enabled organized crime groups and networks to diversify and connect their illicit operations. The linkage between drug trafficking and other forms of transnational organized crime, such as trafficking in persons, the smuggling of migrants and the illicit manufacture of and trafficking in firearms, is another element of great concern. Organized crime groups act behind the scenes in States embroiled in conflict or struggling through unstable post-conflict conditions. As they do so, they eat away at the social fabric. With the profits they gain from illicit activities such as drug trafficking and the trade in small arms, they are able to equip themselves better to engage in such crimes, and to do so through the force of arms. The result is that conflicts of all kinds are prolonged, which in turn prevents the rule of law from being established and impedes sustainable development. Under such circumstances, organized crime groups gain control over entire regions and establish dependable routes for illicit trade, as governing systems adopted by fragile States are further weakened. I should like to mention one other major element. When the activities of organized crime groups cross borders, they create a ripple effect throughout the international community. The situation being as I have just described it, I should like to suggest two key actions that the international community should take. First, all Member States must further enhance cooperation based on the principle of common and shared responsibility and strengthen their adherence to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, which serve as an effective and fundamental instrument in our efforts to counter the multidimensional, global, complex and evolving threat. Secondly, all stakeholders of the international community must make further efforts to tackle the root causes of this threat, particularly by taking action on the basis of the concept of human security. It is clear that strategies in this area are most effective when they are complemented by empowerment measures, especially those that benefit individuals. For example, the fight to reduce the production of illicit drugs has been most successful when those engaged in that activity are provided with alternative means of earning and income. In that connection, I would like to draw attention to the work that has been funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and undertaken by the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations Population Fund to empower former poppy farmers and vulnerable families in the highlands of Shan state in Myanmar. In conclusion, I should like to reiterate that Japan is fully committed to combat the threat posed by transnational organized crime, together with the international community, based on the ideas I have just outlined.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa.

Allow me at the outset to express my delegation’s sincere appreciation to the President of the General Assembly for convening this special high-level meeting on transnational organized crime, an issue to which my Government attaches great importance. Transnational organized crime is yet another burden added to the multitude of threats and challenges that the international community continues to face. These threats come with costs — with their corrosive effect on national and regional economies and on our individual and combined development efforts — that we as Member States have to address. Criminality, in particular organized crime and the associated corruption and violence, is a major impediment to development, especially for African and other developing nations. Not only does investment potential decrease, but there is also a loss of revenue, both for Governments and the private sector. Poverty eradication is set back further and the dislocation of potential work forces adds to economic pressures. The social bill also starts to add up when the degradation of human dignity and the abuse of the human rights of victims of crimes such as trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants is taken into account. Invariably, that affects the most vulnerable in societies, namely women and children. However, the trend in achieving universal adherence to, and the implementation of, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols can be interpreted as positive, given that 154 Member States from all regions of the world are currently States parties to the Convention. On the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention, we are encouraged that, in that short time, we have already incorporated three Protocols with the unambiguous intention of, inter alia, facilitating convergence in national approaches and preventative mechanisms and strengthening cooperation. Those are clear signs of the international community’s concern about the long and non-discriminatory reach of transnational crime. The challenges of transnational organized crime can be mitigated if Governments and the international community, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), support efforts to achieve security and justice for all by making the world safer from international crime, as set out in the UNODC strategy for the period 2008 to 2011. To achieve that objective, we need to encourage the universal implementation of the Convention and its Protocols and the promulgation of relevant national legislative and administrative measures. International cooperation, in particular bilateral and regional treaties on extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, is a key tool in fighting transnational organized crime. The South African Government has observed with interest the emergence of agency-to-agency cooperation mechanisms, especially in Europe. It should be noted that, as a member of the Commonwealth and as provided in some bilateral and regional treaties to which we are signatory, South Africa subscribes to the notion of central authority as a mechanism and channel for cooperation on extradition and legal assistance in criminal matters. How well the agency-to-agency and central authority approaches work varies depending on the region and the State. However, what is required is to ensure speedy assistance, which could be facilitated by a list of contact persons of those States subscribing to the notion of a central authority. There is much work being done at the regional and subregional levels that merits attention, especially for the purposes of cooperation and international best- practice models. The Southern African Development Community has developed regional arrangements and instruments on corruption, extradition and mutual legal assistance. We have already reaped the benefits of a regional police cooperation arrangement, particularly in the form of joint investigations and operations. In March 2009, delegates from law enforcement and prosecution agencies of eight countries — Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe — as well as from my country, met in South Africa to discuss the creation of a new network of investigators and prosecutors to work on cases involving the identification, tracing, freezing, seizure, confiscation and recovery of the proceeds and instrumentalities of crime. The Asset Recovery Inter- agency Network of Southern Africa (ARINSA), will increase the effectiveness of members’ efforts, both individually and collectively, on a multi-agency basis. While States are encouraged to ratify international agreements and adopt appropriate national legislation, the international community must also be encouraged to augment national capacities through the provision of relevant technical assistance, expertise and the requisite infrastructure. Member States and relevant international funding organizations must be encouraged to provide financial and technical assistance. That is indeed an area with many challenges, especially in developing countries. The provision of technical assistance is a cross-cutting issue that is important for the universal implementation of the Convention and its Protocols. Additionally, the exchange of intelligence on organized crime is of crucial importance. It should include the exchange of technical know-how in the field of communications and electronic surveillance, especially in the areas of cybercrime and the building of intelligence databases. My Government notes with appreciation the planned open-ended working group of governmental experts on extradition, mutual legal assistance and international cooperation for the purposes of confiscation, as well as, in particular, the open-ended working group on technical assistance. In addition, the promulgation of uniform legislation or legislation that meets the threshold of the Convention and its Protocols is also a challenge. Therefore, technical assistance to States in need is of critical importance. South Africa will continue to improve its national legal framework on criminalization of organized crime groups, money-laundering, racketeering and gang- related activities. We have enacted the Prevention of Organized Crime Act, the Criminal Procedure Act and the Financial Intelligence Centre Act to strengthen the criminalization of money-laundering. Our attention also focuses on taking the proceeds of crime from criminals, through the Assets Forfeiture Unit, regardless of where they may be hidden. For that reason, our country pledged its support to the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative, aimed at recovering stolen assets and returning them to their legitimate countries. Regarding the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, in March 2010 South Africa tabled a bill in parliament that comprehensively addresses human trafficking in all its various forms. That legislation provides for the protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking. South Africa is also compliant with the firearms Protocol, which requires States parties to criminalize the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. In line with article 8 of the Protocol, which places an obligation on all manufacturers to mark firearms as part of their production process, South Africa has commenced a comprehensive and unique marking system. In conclusion, my delegation looks forward to the possibility of a mechanism to test modalities to review the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols. On that note, I would like to reaffirm our continued support for the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein is fully committed to combating transnational organized crime and considers the multilateral framework of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime — the Palermo Convention — the best forum to do so. We are pleased to see that that milestone agreement now has 155 States parties. We hope that that number can be further increased in view of the Convention’s tenth anniversary. We are deeply concerned about the growing dimensions of transnational organized crime and the increasing threat that it poses to development, peace, security and human rights. Transnational organized crime is a global security challenge that has the potential to jeopardize the stability and social coherence of entire nations. The international community has therefore agreed that the fight against transnational organized crime is a common and shared responsibility. We hope that the upcoming anniversary will be used as an opportunity to intensify the operational work of the United Nations to combat this threat. Ten years after the adoption of the Palermo Convention, we must focus on implementation in order to realize its full potential. In that regard, Liechtenstein welcomes and supports current efforts within the framework of the Conference of the Parties to establish an effective mechanism to review implementation. The mechanism should strengthen the commitment of States parties to the Palermo regime and promote sustained capacity-building for national judiciaries. Liechtenstein recognizes the crucial need for effective international cooperation in the fight against transnational organized crime. Liechtenstein’s financial centre is committed to the highest standards in that respect. Our domestic legal framework and the related enforcement mechanisms are fully capable of effectively detecting financial flows stemming from criminal activities, in particular money-laundering, as recognized by relevant international institutions. We are actively engaged in efforts to secure the recovery and return of stolen assets, in particular through the International Centre for Asset Recovery and the World Bank’s Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative. Such efforts complement our long-standing commitment in the area of combating money-laundering, corruption and the financing of terrorism.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Pakistan.

I would like to extend my felicitations to you, Madam, on presiding over this meeting. We would also like to thank the President for organizing this high-level meeting of the General Assembly on transnational organized crime on the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The Convention is the main legal instrument for the international community to counter organized crime. Unfortunately, it is the least used and, perhaps, least progressive of the many instruments and relevant bodies of the United Nations. On behalf of the international community, I pray that this very important element will assume a far more progressive and lively dimension. But the tenth anniversary is an opportunity to reiterate our resolve to counter several forms of transnational organized crime, which may include narcotics, money-laundering, trafficking in persons and, of course, the most important today, cybercrime. We recognize and hope that civil society, the media and international organizations will continue to play their due roles in countering this menace. There is a two-way relationship between transnational organized crime that emerges from the developing and that which emerges from the developed world. The poorer and less privileged socio-economic environments in developing countries provide ground conducive for transnational organized crime to expand its turf. In developed countries, access to resources and advanced technology provides the cutting edge to the culprits over law enforcement and security agencies. There is also a supply-and-demand side to transnational organized crime, particularly in drug trafficking, trafficking in persons, corruption and money-laundering. The increase in the demand for drugs, the exploitation of cheap labour and opportunities to transfer illegal wealth in the developed world will lead to increased supply from the developing world. While recognizing the challenges and complexity of transnational crime, Pakistan remains cognizant of its responsibility to participate in the comity of nations to counter this menace. We believe that the world drug problem demands effective and enhanced international cooperation. We welcome the adoption of the Salvador Declaration during the Twelfth Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, which was held in Brazil in April. Through a multipronged strategy comprised of strict law enforcement actions and alternate development plans, Pakistan has succeeded in eliminating its illicit opium crop. We have adversely suffered as a transit country for narcotic drugs. We have actively contributed to regional and international efforts to stop the outflow of drugs from neighbouring regions and the inflow of precursor chemicals used to produce drugs. Our drug control master plan for the period 2009 to 2013 takes into account the impact of the drug situation in our neighbourhood and outlines both the supply and demand reduction measures that must be taken. Pakistan has also contributed to international efforts to counter illicit trafficking by participating in the Rainbow Strategy of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and in a triangular cooperation initiative with Afghanistan and Iran. In order to successfully counter trafficking in persons, Pakistan has promulgated an ordinance for the prevention and control of human trafficking. The ordinance also incorporates a role for civil society to work with law enforcement agencies to rehabilitate victims of human trafficking. We are also in the process of laying out a national action plan to combat human trafficking. Similarly, a special anti-human trafficking unit has been set up to crack down on criminals and curb the trafficking in persons. We look forward to the discussions on the proposed global plan of action to counter trafficking in persons. We hope that it will strengthen existing mechanisms while avoiding duplication. To cope with issues relating to money-laundering and terrorist financing, we have joined the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. Our anti-money-laundering ordinance provides a structure for curbing illegal financial transactions and creates a financial monitoring unit in our State bank. Crime, whether international or local, cannot be fought without an effective judicial system. In collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, the access to justice programme in Pakistan is helping to reform the criminal justice system, in particular the prosecutorial, judicial and prison systems, and transforming the police force into an accountable and responsive law enforcement agency. In conclusion, the multidimensional aspect of contemporary international organized crime requires a multifaceted strategy. That includes fulfilling our respective obligations under relevant international treaties and strengthening international partnerships through capacity-building and technical assistance, with due regard for the principle of sovereignty. On the ground, we need to ensure equitable socio-economic opportunities, access to justice and poverty eradication, along with effective law enforcement actions, to curb the tendency to indulge in all types of crimes.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Canada.

Canada welcomes this opportunity to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. We also see the tenth anniversary as an opportunity to acknowledge the real progress that Member States have made in ratifying, implementing and using that important Convention. (spoke in English) More than a decade ago, Member States joined together with the intent of negotiating a binding legal instrument to help States combat transnational organized crime more effectively. Those negotiations were a powerful symbol of our shared determination to work together to confront an enemy that works across borders and impacts us all. Ten years on, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols is much more than a symbol of the our shared efforts against an enemy that moves across international borders without hesitation. The new report entitled “The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment”, issued last week by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, highlights the capabilities of and threats posed by transnational criminal activity. The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime provides practical tools for States to collaborate and cooperate in the investigation and interdiction of transnational criminal activities. Having 155 States parties to the Convention is a tangible demonstration of its success in and of itself. Organized crime is truly transnational and always dynamic. No city, no State and no region of the world is immune to the challenges that organized crime poses or the harmful consequences that such activity has on our communities, our economies and on public safety. The Convention’s mutual legal assistance and extradition provisions enhance our shared capacity to fight transnational organized crime. In this way, the Convention can serve to bridge domestic anti-crime efforts to other efforts by States parties to address criminal activity. As a result, the whole is truly stronger than the sum of its parts. At the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, held in Vienna in October 2008, we heard about how States were using the international cooperation provisions of the Convention to better fight transnational organized crime. We would hope that the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties, to be held later this year, will also provide an opportunity for States to share examples of how this important tool has been used to disrupt organized criminal activity and bring its perpetrators to justice. (spoke in French) As always, the challenges for us now lie not in the many steps already taken, but in optimize all the potential of the Convention. One measure that may help advance the Convention’s implementation and effective use would be the development of a review mechanism. Canada looks forward to taking part in this discussion at the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties. (spoke in English) Canada is well aware of the importance of technical assistance to help States meet their obligations under the Conventions and their Protocols. Over many years, Canada has provided financial support to the projects of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in this field. Across its areas of activity, Canada strongly values UNODC’s efforts and was its second largest donor in 2009. The negotiation, adoption and coming into force of the United Nations Convention reflect concrete steps and a shared commitment of the international community to fighting organized crime. Ratification and implementation by Member States builds on this work. We must continue to do more. The fight against organized crime is a battle we cannot afford to lose.

I now give the floor to the representative of Nicaragua.

My delegation thanks the President of the General Assembly for having organized this important meeting. Today we come together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols. We believe that this commemoration represents an excellent opportunity for States parties to renew our commitment to fighting this scourge. Nicaragua has been a party to the Convention since 2000 and has ratified its three supplementary Protocols. We have committed our efforts to combating transnational organized crime. In 2008, we amended our penal code to include norms against organized crime, and we are currently discussing a draft law against organized crime. We work actively with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). At the regional level, we belong to the Central American Security Commission and the Commission of Police Chiefs of Central America and the Caribbean, which plans, coordinates and executes regional plans against organized crime. Last year, our country hosted the Ministerial Conference on Illicit Drug Trafficking, Transnational Organized Crime and Terrorism as Challenges for Security and Development in Central America. There we adopted a political declaration, known as the Managua declaration, in which the ministers of Central America recognized once again that drug abuse, the production and illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, organized transnational crime, terrorism and its financing, as well as the scourge of corruption, represent threats to the security and political, economic and social development of our peoples. Our subregion has a strategy and plan of action for the security of Central America and Mexico, which has the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. However, its implementation will require resources in addition to our national budgets, and we therefore call on the international community to support this effort by mobilizing resources. Civic security has become one of the major concerns of our societies in Latin America and the Caribbean because it represents a genuine obstacle to our human development. Despite a number of statistics that make our region seem like a real threat to international civic security, our country, Nicaragua, enjoys recognition at the international level as one of the safest countries of Central America and, undoubtedly, of Latin America and the Caribbean. Compared with other countries of the region, which had 5,000 to 6,000 deaths by firearm, Nicaragua had only 300 during the same period. Aware that the target should be zero deaths, the Government of President Comandante Daniel Ortega Saavedra has redoubled its efforts against organized crime with a view to ensuring that Nicaragua continues to be the least violent and most safe country of the region. Transnational organized crime and the drug problem are a global phenomenon and, as such, require a response from the international community based on coordinated multilateral action within the established international legal framework in full respect for the sovereignty of States and in conformity of the rule of law. Similarly, we recognize that the principle underlying the success of this struggle is that of shared but differentiated responsibility. Countries like Nicaragua, which are neither producers nor consumers of either weapons or drugs, but which, due to our geographical position, are transit countries, find ourselves obliged to divert our limited internal resources, which we should be using to combat domestic problems, to fight transnational organized crime. In this regard, we call on the international community to translate the principle of shared but differentiated responsibility into the mobilization of resources. There is currently a disparity between what the amount of northbound goods we seize and their prices on the market and what we receive in assistance to counter these crimes. Similarly, Nicaragua believes that we should focus our efforts on lowering the demand for illicit goods in the North because, without demand, we could eliminate the greater part of organized crime. Another matter of concern to Nicaragua is trafficking in persons. We take this opportunity to express our thanks and our support for the work being done by co-facilitators Portugal and Cape Verde in drafting a global plan of action against trafficking in persons, which is a modern form of slavery. If this subject is to be addressed successfully, there is a need for a collective and global response. We all agree that the traffic in persons is a human scourge and a crime against humanity. The countries of the South wonder how it is that some developed countries continue to oppose the urgent need to adopt a global plan of action that would coordinate and support national efforts in full respect of the United Nations Charter, the sovereignty of States and non-interference in internal affairs and on the basis of the same premise of shared but differentiated responsibility. Finally, Nicaragua considers it essential that we continue urging the Member States of this Organization to endorse, ratify and accede to the existing international conventions in this area so that money- laundering, kidnapping, illicit trafficking in persons, corruption and related crimes can be classified as crimes throughout the world.

I now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.

First of all, I would like to join other delegations in expressing our appreciation for the convening of this meeting. Ten years ago, we gathered in Palermo, a city that has proudly shaken loose the murderous grip of the Cosa Nostra mafia. Holding the signing conference for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in Palermo was a tribute to that community, which had not given up the battle against organized crime. With that resolve at heart, the Convention not only established common legal standards, but also carried a powerful political message that we would fight or extinguish the shadow cast by organized crime on our society. Today, our globalized society has created previously unknown opportunities for transnational organized crime to develop. The changing nature of organized crime undermines not only legitimate sectors of society, but also entire political and economic systems. The direct relevance of crime prevention to sustainable development, stability and human rights is undeniable. In the years following our nation’s signing of the Convention and its Protocols in 2000, we have seen important milestones in the fight against transnational organized crime. The Convention also provided us with the impetus to reform our domestic legislation, paying special attention to the provisions on organized crime, trafficking and migrants. That process should be completed by 2011, allowing our country to ratify the Convention. The Republic of Korea has made impressive progress in fighting corruption, and particularly in tracking the money-laundering that funds organized crime. In 2006, we set up an institutional framework for a money-laundering prevention system under the Korean Prosecutor’s Office. Furthermore, our country has been playing a leadership role in providing legal assistance to its regional partners. Since 1997, we have hosted an international workshop on crime prevention and criminal justice to educate law enforcement officials from different countries. On that note, I would like to invite Member nations to participate in the first World Summit of Prosecutors General, Attorneys General and Chief Prosecutors, which Korea will host in 2011. It is our hope that the Summit will be another venue to discuss the means to build greater confidence and resilience in criminal justice systems. There is no room for complacency. The world must remain on guard. While the adoption of the Convention and its Protocols was certainly a cause for celebration, everyone must recognize that the fight against organized crime is far from over. The Palermo Convention and its Protocols must not remain dead letter. Our tough words must be matched by equally robust action. Let us strengthen the goals embodied in the text by ensuring that they are translated into domestic legislation. As discussed in Vienna earlier this year and as the Secretary-General stated last Thursday (see A/64/PV.96), we welcome initiatives to create a comprehensive legal mechanism to assess the needs of criminal justice and measure progress. Most importantly, we call on all delegations to further promote universal adherence to the spirit of the Convention. Today’s high-level meeting has provided us with the firm belief that the international community can continue to consolidate its collective will to revive the fight against transnational organized crime.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Argentina.

Allow me to begin by congratulating Mexico and Italy on the initiative that triggered this high-level meeting on the important issue of responding to transnational organized crime. The informal panel discussion made possible a rich exchange of ideas for consideration. In particular, we thank Mr. Antonio Costa for his presence and his commitment and hard work as head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Transnational organized crime has become one of the greatest threats to the security of States and is now so extensive that no one can tackle it alone and without international cooperation. We all must bear in mind that transnational organized crime is the subject of specific regulation under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three supplementary Protocols: the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air; and the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition. The Republic of Argentina is party to the Palermo Convention and its Protocols and was an active participant in the process that led to their adoption. The position of the Government of Argentina is to approach the phenomenon within the legal framework established by the Convention and its Protocols on the basis of the parameters, definitions and terms therein. The Government of Argentina considers it fundamental that any action to prevent and combat transnational organized crime should be taken in full compliance with international human rights law, with regard both to alleged perpetrators and to the victims of acts of transnational crime. In line with those parameters, at the recent fortieth General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), which took place in Lima, Peru, from 6 to 8 June 2010, Argentina introduced a draft resolution taking note of the report on citizen security and human rights of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which underscores that the Commission defines public security as the ability of people to live free from the threats posed by violence and crime, while the State has the necessary capacity to guarantee and protect the human rights that they directly affect. In practice, from a human rights perspective, citizen security is a condition in which people live free from the violence practiced by State or non-State actors. The OAS should undertake an in-depth analysis of the report. We look forward to advancing towards concrete agreements. We must bear in mind that, in the fight against transnational organized crime, it is a priority to strengthen national legal systems, the rule of law and multilateral cooperation, while respecting the sovereignty of each State, in particular through information exchange, mutual legal assistance and extradition. To that end, States must promote the full implementation of their obligations under the Palermo Convention and its three Protocols, which entails an obligation to categorize in national criminal law all crimes included in transnational organized crime under those legal instruments. In this regard, Argentina will continue to work actively and constructively within the various initiatives aimed at strengthening the international response to transnational organized crime and to advance towards the universalization and full implementation of the Palermo Convention and its Protocols.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Cuba.

Crime prevention continues to be of high priority in the current international situation. Transnational crime is of concern to us all. All countries — regardless of their economic power, territorial size or number of inhabitants — are vulnerable to the various manifestations of crime, including its emerging forms. The financial fraud scandals that have jeopardized the existence of the international financial system, the increase in human trafficking, the growing illicit trafficking in migrants, ongoing money-laundering and cybercrime are phenomena that do not respect borders or levels of development. Today, no country is able to fight terrorism, drug and human trafficking, money-laundering operations or firearm smuggling by itself. For countries whose resources are limited as a result of the inequitable international economic order, the challenge of successfully fighting these scourges is even greater. The fight against crime, particularly transnational organized crime, must start with fighting underdevelopment and establishing a more equitable and just international economic order. International cooperation based on full respect for sovereignty, in accordance with national legislation, and the territorial integrity of States is essential to efficiently preventing and fighting transnational organized crime, as clearly recognized in the Palermo Convention. Cuba rejects all attempts to exaggerate these phenomena using the argument that they affect regional or international stability and peace when the intention is to impose the concept of limited sovereignty. My country believes that these matters are not within the competences of the Security Council. We must respect the prerogatives of the Economic and Social Council enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Cuba also rejects the drafting of spurious lists of countries that allegedly commit violations related to transnational organized crime, such as the politically motivated and manipulative lists prepared by the United States Department of State on such matters as terrorism, human trafficking and drug trafficking. These mechanisms operate on the fringes of the United Nations and are nothing more than instruments of political pressure designed to punish Governments that do not comply with the United States directives or to try to justify policies of unilateral sanctions that, like the blockade against Cuba, are legally and ethically unsustainable under international law. That is the only way to understand the inclusion of Cuba on all of these lists. This year, we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, an important milestone in the codification of international law. Evidence of the strong commitment of the Cuban State to the fight against transnational organized crime was our signing of the Convention 13 December 2000 and its subsequent ratification on 9 February 2007. The Cuban Government works systematically in the prevention of crime by means of comprehensive economic, social and cultural development programmes and through the systematic improvement of our legislation. Cuba complies with all of its international obligations as they pertain to international collaboration and the fight against organized crime, and boasts an outstanding record in the fight against crimes of more frequent occurrence, such as international terrorism, drug trafficking, money-laundering, piracy and human trafficking, inter alia. All such crimes, which are related to international organized crime, are regulated and penalized by current Cuban legislation. Transnational organized crime does not manifest itself either in structurally organized, self-perpetuating or permanent form in Cuban society. The occurrence of some of these crimes in Cuba is very isolated. However, we suffer the consequences of transnational organized crime. As a result of the criminal Cuban Adjustment Act enforced against our country, we must face difficult migratory situations in which dishonest individuals make a lucrative business of illicit human trafficking. As part of Cuba’s efforts and willingness to fight illicitly trafficking in migrants in the framework of the migration agreements of the United States, last week we held migration talks to assess compliance with these agreements. We feel that we have made progress in this area because we have had a fruitful discussion on the establishment of more efficient mechanisms of cooperation to combat the smuggling of illegal aliens. However, the problem will not be solved and we will not be able to achieve legal, safe and orderly migration between the two countries until such time as the cause and the strong incentive of the Cuban Adjustment Act and the wet foot/dry foot policy disappear. The United States immigration policy towards Cuba is the main stimulus of illegal departures from Cuba and human trafficking since it ensures that all Cuban citizens arriving illegally in United States territory are automatically accepted there, regardless of the ways and means used in the pursuit of that objective, including the use of violence and the life- threatening risks taken by unscrupulous traffickers. Our country has also been a victim of terrorist attacks perpetrated by international criminal organizations, claiming numerous victims among our people and considerable material losses. Nevertheless, Cuba has never allowed and never will allow the use of its national territory to perpetrate, plan or finance acts of terrorism against any other State. Likewise, we categorically reject the fight against terrorism being used as a pretext to justify interference in the internal affairs of other States, aggression or disrespect for national sovereignty. However, such cooperation has not been reciprocated by the United States Government, which harbours confessed terrorists who operate or have operated with impunity against Cuba for five decades. One such terrorist is Luis Posada Carriles, mastermind of the mid-air bombing of a Cuban civilian aircraft. In the meantime, five young Cuban patriots remain unjustly imprisoned in the United States specifically for fighting terrorism against Cuba. They should be released immediately. Cuba has provided sufficient evidence of its commitment to international cooperation in the fight against transnational organized crime by actively participating in the bilateral and multilateral forums and mechanisms in this area. Cuba has also negotiated cooperation agreements with dozens of States. My country reiterates its unshakeable commitment to continuing to fight transnational organized crime in all its manifestations and to strengthen its strong cooperation links with the international community, particularly with the efforts of the United Nations, in the prevention and eradication of this scourge.

I now give the floor to the representative of Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the convening of this special meeting of the General Assembly on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Transnational organized crime, including the smuggling of and trafficking in human beings and narcotic drugs, continues to adversely affect the socio- economic development of all Member States. New developments in technology, the expansion of communications facilities, and the rapid globalization of economies have aggravated this trend by providing criminal groups with unprecedented capacities to go far beyond specific territorial borders in pursuing their unlawful activities. Hence, addressing the serious challenges posed by such crimes requires further international cooperation and political commitment on the part of all Member States and relevant international organizations. We sincerely hope that the deliberations of this important meeting will strengthen the efforts of Member States in combating these crimes nationally and at the international level. The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully determined and committed to fighting against transnational organized crime. In 2008, the Iranian Parliament passed an anti-money-laundering law, which is currently part of Iranian penal law, to create strict mechanisms to verify the origins of any financial transaction in the banking system. According to said law, funds of illicit origin are to be traced and identified in order to block their transfer and entrance into monetary and/or financial institutions. Subsequently, the Government proceeded to finalize an executive by-law last year and established an independent financial intelligence unit to track suspicious transactions. In this process, the judiciary is also very closely involved with prosecuting and punishing the perpetrators. Fighting the illicit production of and trafficking in narcotic drugs, the oldest form of transnational organized crime, has for decades been and still is a top priority of the international community. It is unfortunate, however, that despite the existence of a relatively sufficient international legal apparatus, the production of opium and trafficking in narcotic drugs have sharply increased in recent years, which will surely have a direct impact on the increase of other forms of organized crime in the world. Combating the world drug problem is a common and shared responsibility and should be addressed in a multilateral setting. The Islamic Republic of Iran has encouraged and supported the establishment of appropriate mechanisms for international and regional cooperation to better counter drug-related crimes. In particular, my country has been supportive of the regional initiative, known as the Triangular Initiative, between Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which also enjoys the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Spending approximately $600 million annually, my country has strengthened the physical barriers along its eastern borders with Afghanistan. Such physical barriers have made Iranian territory more insecure and costly for international drug traffickers and increased the risks of drug smuggling. Recently, measures to create barriers along the western borders of Iran have also been launched to block the passage of illicit drugs out of the country. Furthermore, in 2009 the Islamic Republic of Iran managed to seize approximately 1,100 tons of different types of opium- based drugs, 81 per cent of which were seized along its eastern borders. Other actions taken by Iran in its fight against illicit drug trafficking are, briefly, as follows: signing memorandums of understanding with about 40 countries; equipping border points with the required technologies; promoting the qualitative and quantitative improvement of personnel involved in combating illicit drugs and setting up a technical group for combating illicit drugs at the police force faculty; and participating in Operation Tarcet which aims at preventing the smuggling of drug-producing chemicals into Afghanistan. Trafficking in persons, especially women and children, is one of the most serious manifestations of transnational organized crime. It is an affront to human dignity and a modern form of slavery. Sexual exploitation, including child pornography and prostitution, has continued to be a major motivation for human trafficking. Women and girls account for about 80 per cent of the detected victims of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The removal of and trafficking in human organs is yet another cruel, inhumane element of trafficking in persons which needs to be addressed seriously. Undoubtedly, the supply of human beings for prostitution, forced labour or the removal of human organs cannot effectively be suppressed unless the demand for them is controlled. Bearing this fact in mind, active cooperation should be developed at the global level in order to efficiently target the demand side of the problem. Trafficking in human beings to and/or from Iranian territory was criminalized under a specific law approved by the Iranian Parliament in 2004. The adoption of the law is expected not only to strengthen the domestic legal regime against human trafficking, but also to prepare the legal basis for some obligations with regard to criminalizing human trafficking that are stipulated in the Palermo Convention. In 2007, the Islamic Republic of Iran established a coordinating mechanism involving all relevant national stakeholders, including the judiciary, law enforcement and civil society, to better fight the scourge. Furthermore, extensive measures have been taken in the past two years by related bodies, including the Iranian Welfare Organization, to support victims and assist vulnerable groups. The Islamic Republic of Iran, as a transit country, has also taken serious steps in implementing several projects to enhance border control in order to better fight transnational organized crime, including human trafficking. My country has benefited from the technical assistance provided by UNODC in implementing a project on measures to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The main purpose of the project is to build the capacity of the Iranian judiciary in implementing laws on combating trafficking in persons and in strengthening cooperation mechanisms between the relevant organs of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other countries.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of the Gambia.

My delegation welcomes the convening of this high-level meeting of the General Assembly on transnational organized crime. The meeting provides an opportune moment to take stock of our collective efforts and actions against transnational organized crime and of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime — the Palermo Convention — and its Protocols. The Gambia is a party to those treaties and has enjoyed the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in our efforts to implement our treaty obligations. It is no secret that transnational organized crime is increasing around the world and that hitherto dormant regions of the world are now the targets of organized criminal groups for various reasons. Drug trafficking, human trafficking, money-laundering, terrorism, piracy, cybercrime and the illicit appropriation of natural resources are all on the rise. There is no region that is not affected by either one or a combination of those crimes. As the Executive Director of UNODC put it, Africa in particular is under attack. Our Governments are under attack; our institutions are under attack; our young people are under attack; and even our very future is under attack. Cocaine is not produced in West Africa, but cocaine trafficking is already disturbing the fragile peace prevailing in parts of our region. We cannot let the energy of our young people be sapped by the cocaine consumption that comes with being a transit destination. We do not want to see the introduction of more arms and criminal gangs into our countries. Cocaine trafficking is a national security threat and a cancer that undermines the rule of law in our societies. Our Governments are at risk of being overrun by criminal gangs. In West Africa, drug trafficking is a new and menacing threat that seeks to reverse our investments in peace and security. From the instability of civil conflicts fuelled by the illicit trafficking of natural resources, we are now facing the determined efforts and might of organized criminal gangs emanating from outside our subregion, hell-bent on using our countries as transit conduits for drug trafficking to lucrative markets in Europe. They are dangerous, ruthless and criminal and will stop at nothing unless they face our combined determination to nip their trade in the bud. For that reason, we must renew our commitment and mobilize new resources to combat transnational organized crime. The ugly phenomenon of drug trafficking through West Africa affects every country in the region. The recent seizure in our country of more than two tons of cocaine, worth $1 billion and involving 12 foreign nationals, is a story typical of what has transpired in other countries in West Africa. Governments throughout the region are confronting the sophisticated and crude methods of such gangs with very limited resources and capacities. In our case, international support was very critical in disrupting the networks of those drug traffickers. We would like to see a continuation of that kind of international cooperation enhanced to a new level. For their part, our leaders are resolved to stamp out this scourge in fulfilment of a directive of the heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that the Community take immediate steps to respond effectively to the drug menace. A regional response action plan against drug trafficking and related organized crime in West Africa was adopted in 2008 following a series of consultations jointly organized by ECOWAS, UNODC, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Government of Cape Verde. The plan defines time frames within which to expect tangible results in determining projects and tasks. We have the political commitment to cooperate with donors and the international community to leverage our national capacities to confront this monster trying to besiege our societies. We need international cooperation to stop the shipments, intelligence to track those involved, and equipment to match their sophistication. This is an issue on which West Africa and Europe need to cooperate. Time is of the essence and it is not on our side. Our national capacities to confront these gangs need to be enhanced. Partners such as UNODC and INTERPOL have been of great help in dealing with those groups, but we want to see increased cooperation between them and our countries. In the Gambia, the President of the Republic has declared that the Government will not allow the country to become a narco-State. That is our goal, and we need the support of all Member States to achieve it. In closing, my delegation calls on States that have not done so to sign and ratify the Convention. We also call for progress on an implementation and review mechanism.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Romania.

I would like to thank you, Madam, for convening this meeting on such an important and ever-pressing topic. We align ourselves with the statement delivered earlier on behalf of the European Union and naturally would like to also express some thoughts in our national capacity. Having played an active role in the successful completion of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, Romania is still deeply concerned about the scale and increasing complexity of transnational organized crime. The tenth anniversary of the adoption of that crucial Convention represents a milestone and a timely opportunity to assess the progress towards its full implementation and to develop better responses to it. The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols provide the appropriate international framework for fighting organized crime. We encourage States to become parties to the Convention and its Protocols and to continue promoting those instruments by ensuring their full and effective implementation. Nevertheless, the existing methods to fight the growing threat of organized crime are not sufficient. The linguistic barriers, the lack of or the limited channels for the exchange of information and full adherence to respect for human rights are issues that must still be overcome. In that context, a thorough analysis of the current means of fighting organized crime being used by a growing number of practitioners and the exploration of better exchanges of information and best practices between law enforcement authorities are more necessary than ever. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime is working closely with national Governments, international organizations and civil society to enhance international cooperation to counter the pervading influence of organized crime. We acknowledge its role as a key partner in that endeavour and encourage Member States to continue supporting the Office’s work in that area. Romania has been actively involved in the previous sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and will attend the fifth session in Vienna in October. This session represents a timely opportunity to draw attention to and discuss new and emerging forms of crime. At the recent debates of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Vienna, Romania was among the sponsors of the resolution on strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice responses to violence against women. Romania also sponsored, together with Italy, the decision on strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice responses to counterfeiting and piracy. The Convention provides the tools for solid cooperation against organized crime at the global level, facilitating information-sharing and law enforcement cooperation amongst parties. To date, Romania has concluded over 90 bilateral agreements of cooperation in the field of prevention of and the fight against organized crime, human trafficking, illegal migration, drug trafficking, terrorism and other non-conventional threats to security with countries from Europe, Asia and the American continent. Romania has also ratified the most important international and regional conventions and protocols related to the responsibilities of States for fighting asymmetric threats to security, under the aegis of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and the Regional Centre for Combating Transborder Crime of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, which is hosted by my country. Transnational crime is a cross-cutting issue. Like other countries of the European Union, and especially from Eastern Europe, Romania is strongly committed to preventing and fighting illegal immigration and human trafficking, some of the most serious and pervasive crimes in my region. We consider that fighting these scourges represents much more than a national duty; it is also a regional and international responsibility. The ability to be in constant motion and the flexibility of the organized groups involved in human trafficking are proof that a narrow approach to the phenomenon would be unsuccessful. The right response is a coherent approach at the international level. Of course, we have tried to do our best. The Romanian authorities have tackled the problem of human trafficking from a wide angle — on the one hand, trying to prevent it through campaigns designed to increase public awareness and to inform the target groups, and, on the other, carrying out an intensive fight against the phenomenon, backed by the protection of the victims. We have also developed a national programme for the coordination of victims and witnesses and maintained a database with information on the victims of trafficking. This has enabled us to acquire valuable experience in the field of prevention of human trafficking, and we are always ready to provide technical assistance on this matter, as well as to contribute our expertise in developing an international mechanism for victim referral. To conclude, I would also like to stress on this occasion that Romania is sincerely determined to significantly contribute to strengthening security and stability in Europe and beyond, while fighting against the threats that challenge us all today.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Mongolia.

At the outset, may I join previous speakers in extending our sincere appreciation to you, Madam, for convening this special high-level meeting on transnational organized crime on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the launch of the Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime and the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Palermo Convention and its Protocols. The adoption of these significant instruments attests to the increased recognition that transnational organized crime has become a matter of international priority. Indeed, there is hardly any country that has remained immune to the many ills of transnational crime. It has the gravest consequences for countries’ socio-economic development, governance and stability, as well as the health and well-being of their population. It has therefore been rightly argued that national and international criminal groups threaten the security of nations around the world. In the effective fight against transnational organized crime, we would like to emphasize the importance of universal adherence to the Palermo Convention and its relevant Protocols. In that regard, we call on the States that have not yet done so to consider ratifying or acceding to them. It is only by combining national response with bilateral, regional and international cooperation that a State can effectively fight transnational crime. My delegation commends the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for its wide-ranging activities in assisting Member States in their struggle against transnational crime. We note with appreciation the launch of the report entitled “The globalization of crime: A transnational organized crime threat assessment”, which gives us an insight into trafficking flows of drugs, firearms, people, natural resources and counterfeit products, as well as maritime piracy and cybercrime. Mongolia joined the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three related Protocols in June 2008, following extensive work to bring our domestic legislation in line with the Convention. Mongolia is also party to 13 out of 16 universal anti-terrorism instruments. As pointed out in the report on the globalization of crime, “[t]rafficking in persons is a truly global phenomenon: in data recently reported to UNODC … 137 countries reported having detected victims”. This tragic phenomenon has hit our Mongolia too, with an increasing number of our citizens being lured into trafficking for exploitation purposes. We are taking countermeasures, both nationally and in cooperation with others. In February 2008, the Mongolian Parliament enacted a series of amendments to the criminal code’s anti-trafficking provisions, prohibiting all elements of trafficking process and providing for harsher penalties that reflect the gravity of the crime. This reinforced the legal framework for combating trafficking and prosecuting traffickers. Furthermore, Parliament commissioned the drafting of a law to protect human trafficking victims and witnesses. A special working group was set up in the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs to that end. The Government has organized a number of workshops for law enforcement officials and civil society representatives on how to protect human trafficking victims and witnesses and how to prosecute and punish perpetrators of such crimes. Nonetheless, many challenges are yet to be resolved. Some of these challenges are addressed through our cooperation with our partners, including the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and others. Although Mongolia is not as severely affected by the scourge of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as some other countries of the region, the rise in transnational drug smuggling has become a matter of considerable public concern in my country. Mongolia covers a vast territory and shares a long border with its two neighbours. For a country with this geography and a small population, border management is a serious challenge, especially in terms of detecting drug smuggling. Hence, my Government seeks to take proactive measures, including creating the necessary legal environment and raising awareness among law enforcement officials and the general public at large. Mongolia is also a party to three international conventions on drug control. Yet the major setback is still the lack of trained personnel, equipment and expertise, as, until recently, drug-related crimes were not prevalent. The 2003 memorandum of understanding between the Government of Mongolia and UNODC on the establishment of a framework for cooperation in the field of drug control and crime prevention offers a solid basis for our joint efforts to combat the aforementioned types of transnational organized crime. My delegation shares the growing concern over counterfeit medicines. The effects of counterfeit medicines on human health can be catastrophic, if not fatal. As a follow-up to our Prime Minister’s visit to UNODC last March, Mongolia and UNODC have agreed to focus their cooperation on the following three issues: first, enhancing Mongolia’s technical capabilities to detect counterfeit medicines; secondly, drafting comprehensive legislation on illegal capital flight, as well as addressing the interlinked issue of corruption; and, thirdly, technical assistance in accurately identifying the scattering and location of psychotropic plants on Mongolian territory. In conclusion, may I reiterate my delegation’s firm belief that, in order to make tangible progress in fighting transnational crime, it is absolutely essential to develop effective cooperation among Member States in information-sharing, victim protection, detection and prosecution. We also believe that it is equally important to bear in mind the root causes of transnational organized crime and to join efforts towards eradicating them.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Peru.

My delegation wishes to express its appreciation for the convening of this high-level meeting to address the topic of transnational organized crime. This phenomenon is a growing global threat not only to the security and well-being of our populations, but also to the legitimate exercise of their human rights and to the development of our countries. Given its nature, this problem requires common shared responsibility and cooperation among States to address it effectively. Only 154 States are party to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. My delegation wishes to stress the fact that 38 Members of the Organization are still not party to that very important instrument and an even greater number have not acceded to the protocols on trafficking in persons, the smuggling of migrants and the fight against the illicit manufacture of and trafficking in firearms. Indeed, there is still a great deal of work to do to ensure that more States become parties to those instruments. In addition, it is clear that we face problems arising from inadequate implementation of those agreements. The lack of will on the part of States is one issue that has a very negative impact. That is why my delegation, in addition to appealing to those States that have not yet ratified the Convention and its Protocols — which is very important — urges that the utmost efforts be made for their implementation. Today’s meeting is an important forum at which we can renew the commitment of our States to fighting such threats. Peru, which has ratified the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, underscores that the provision of resources, cooperation and lasting effective technical assistance are crucial to achieving its full implementation. Globalization has provided unprecedented opportunities for transnational organized crime to develop. The networks of criminal organizations transcend borders and maintain links through their various illicit activities: human trafficking, prostitution, slavery, the illicit trade in arms, drug trafficking, money-laundering and the corruption of public officials, as well as the terrorism faced by some of our countries. This has created an interconnected network that must be addressed with a comprehensive and coordinated approach. These interconnected networks of transnational criminal organizations forge fortunes of millions that equal and, in some cases, exceed the resources that States can allot to fighting their crimes. The United Nations estimates that the market value of human trafficking is $32 billion a year and, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the annual amount of money laundered is between 2 and 5 per cent of the world gross domestic product. My delegation has faith in the capacity of States to confront all cross-border criminal networks, for which an iron will to implement appropriate laws and legislation, together with coordination and international cooperation, is essential, in particular against threats that require multilateral action at the national and international levels. Peru continues to work to safeguard the security of its citizens in the face of the various threats posed by organized crime. We have taken numerous steps to counter the problem and are always ready to cooperate with the international community in joint activities, information exchange and the promotion and sharing of good practices. With regard to the illicit trafficking of and trade in persons, Peru has adopted a strategy aimed at developing — through workshops, publications and the media — training and awareness-raising programmes on the dangers of irregular migration and at preventing commercial sexual exploitation, in particular of children and adolescents. We promote a code of good conduct among tour operators and raise awareness of that issue in the context of tourism through theatrical productions. New policies to prevent and prosecute that crime and to protect victims are being developed through a multisectoral working group against human trafficking. Some of these efforts are supported by the International Organization for Migration. In addition, cooperation initiatives are being negotiated with bordering States. We have also been working against forced labour through the National Commission against Forced Labour. In cooperation with the International Labour Organization, in 2009 the first Regional Workshop on Labour Inspection and Forced Labour in Latin America took place, with the participation of 10 Latin American countries, at which experiences on that topic were shared. Furthermore, Peru has established a national committee to prevent and eradicate child labour and is developing a communications strategy to train civil servants and the general public to recognize cases of forced labour. In addition, Peru has policies to assist and protect victims of trafficking and has provided a free telephone service to report it. As regards the fight against drugs, Peru has developed a national drug plan for 2007-2011, which focuses on three areas: the prevention of drug use, alternative development and interdiction. In 2009, Peru eradicated 10,025 hectares of coca leaf, while between January and April this year it eradicated 3,850 hectares of illegal coca cultivation. Moreover, 84 laboratories used to produce basic cocaine paste have been destroyed so far this year. We also promote programmes and projects for alternative development, in particular in agriculture. Through these, 88,100 hectares of legal crops are now being cultivated. My delegation thanks in particular the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for its assistance to Peru in alternative development. However, despite the allocation by the Peruvian State of huge resources of its own to the fight against drugs, it still needs international cooperation, which has unfortunately been decreasing in recent years. In the area of the trafficking of firearms, Peru has established a national commission against the manufacture of and illicit trade in firearms. Thanks to the work of our law enforcement bodies, plans have been developed over the past two years to seize a significant number of firearms. A network of traffickers of arms intended for a terrorist organization in a neighbouring country was uncovered and dismantled. We have also developed various activities with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is headquartered in Lima. In 2009, as acting President of the Andean Community and in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Community, Peru set up a working group pursuant to decision 552, entitled “Andean Plan to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects”. The group’s first meeting was held on 25 May. With regard to money-laundering, Peru has a specialized unit in place to deal with that crime and acts as coordinator of the South American Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, which is a regional intergovernmental organization that brings together the countries of South America to combat money-laundering and the financing of terrorism. Likewise, we are also part of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units and of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering. Peru, a country with a cultural heritage going back millennia, has also included in its criminal code specific crimes relating to trafficking in cultural property. We also have in place training programmes for police and museum workers and carry out awareness-raising campaigns on codes of ethics, including international seminars and meetings on this subject. As we commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the launching of the Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime and the Naples Declaration and the tenth anniversary of the Palermo Convention, my delegation would like to reiterate the overwhelming need to continue to make progress in the implementation of the international instruments at our disposal to fight transnational organized crime. A multisectoral working group has been established to review and guide the implementation of the Palermo Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols. To that end, my country supports the establishment of a follow-up mechanism for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime that would take into account the actual characteristics of the Convention and its Protocols. We also support the establishment of a revision mechanism that will help countries to improve their legislation and domestic policies and to facilitate international cooperation and technical assistance. In that regard, Peru has expressed its willingness to participate voluntarily in the pilot assessment programme on the implementation of the Palermo Convention and to support the creation of instruments on information gathering and legal cooperation, the exchange of good practices, operational cooperation and technical assistance for each of the Protocols. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that, in the efforts being made by States to combat these threats, the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the area of assistance to States to provide a coordinated and broad-based response to the various international threats we face with regard to transnational organized crime is of crucial importance. We call upon all States to increase their support and resources to the Office.

I now give the floor to the representative of Turkey.

My delegation wishes to thank the President of the General Assembly for organizing this meeting on transnational organized crime. The year 2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. It is therefore very timely and pertinent for the General Assembly to deliberate on this important issue to see where we stand after 10 years. Indeed, much has changed in the past decade. In this era of globalization, organized crime groups and networks have unfortunately become more diversified and connected. They have successfully exploited the opportunities presented by globalization and created parallel economic structures of their own. As a result, we are faced today with a unique and growing phenomenon that poses significant risks and threats for the entire international community. Among other things, transnational organized crime undermines State authority, fuels corruption, hampers economic and social development and weakens the rule of law. Transnational organized crime also exacerbates many crises in which the United Nations operates. As such, it undermines the international community’s efforts at peacekeeping, peacemaking and peacebuilding. It therefore poses a significant and particular challenge for countries emerging from conflicts. Furthermore, as recognized in relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, the interconnected nature of terrorism and transnational organized crime has also become more evident and troubling in recent years. Indeed, today it is a well- documented fact that the revenue generated from drug trafficking has become a primary source of terrorist financing, followed by arms smuggling, human trafficking, money-laundering and extortion. One can enumerate more such examples and linkages where different transnational threats in effect work in tandem with each other to the detriment of international peace, security and development. Of course, the magnitude of the problems they create might differ from one region to another. It is obvious that geography can no longer be a shield against threats posed by transnational organized crime, which does not recognize any borders. The fight against this challenge therefore requires strong international cooperation. There are indeed already well-established institutions and programmes within and outside the United Nations system to combat these threats. Our efforts must first and foremost be aimed at strengthening cooperation within those frameworks. The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols constitute an effective instrument and the necessary legal framework for international cooperation in combating transnational organized crime. We very much appreciate the valuable work carried out by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in building the capacity of Member States to combat drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism. Mindful of the vital importance of effective international cooperation, Turkey has already signed and ratified all the relevant United Nations conventions in this area, in particular the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols. Turkey has also ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Furthermore, Turkey has concluded bilateral and multilateral agreements on cooperation against drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime with 72 countries. Turkey is also party to many regional cooperation schemes in the fight against organized crime in the Balkans and the Black Sea region, such as the Stability Pact, the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. The activities of the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime are a good example of Turkey’s efforts in favour of regional cooperation. The Academy has an international curriculum that, since its establishment, has provided training on issues such as combating drug precursors, human trafficking, organized crime, terrorism and money-laundering to nearly 2,500 law enforcement officers from 64 countries. In conclusion, I would like to stress that transnational organized crime cannot be prevented by Governments acting individually or through traditional forms of international cooperation. Transnational organized crime and its tremendous financial proceeds necessitate well-designed, coordinated and comprehensive responses by the international community. We hope that this high-level meeting of the General Assembly will further strengthen international cooperation against transnational organized crime.

I now give the floor to the Deputy Permanent Representative of Indonesia.

At the outset, I would like to join other speakers in thanking the President of the General Assembly for convening this special high-level meeting. This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the United Nations Global Action Plan against Organized Transnational Crime and the tenth anniversary of the Palermo Convention. The tentacles of organized crime are crippling societies, even draining some countries of resources and bringing them to the brink of despair and destitution. Organized crime does not recognize national borders; it is happening across the world. Victims are crying out for help and calling upon States to take concrete and comprehensive action against these groups. We must not fail them. We must live up to their expectation that we, Governments, protect and serve our respective societies. Today’s meeting should certainly go beyond marking an anniversary. This meeting is not about furthering the implementation of the outcome of Palermo Conference. The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime serves that purpose. We should refrain from the duplication of efforts and ideas. This should be about complementarity. Our scarce resources must be focused on bringing added value to global efforts to combat organized crime. Our meeting should be a launching pad to redouble our efforts to combat these crimes. It should also be a stepping stone towards dwelling upon the ever-growing threats of organized crime. The dawn of the information technology revolution has brought about tremendous benefits. Capital can be transferred in the blink of an eye. Information and data can be accessed from the four corners of the world. Countries are closely integrated and interlinked through information technology. That technology, which has spurred growth and development, is also cleverly manipulated and utilized by organized crime syndicates. Clearly, we should remain vigilant. It is also evident that more has to be done, yet little has been achieved in the drive to prevent organized crime syndicates from causing havoc now and then. The Salvador Declaration also highlighted that organized crime contributes to the depletion of the environment. Lush forests are destroyed by the tentacles of organized crime, which prey on the value of timber. Countries of origin, transit and destination have a moral obligation to prevent and criminalize all activities of such organized crime. While countries of origin should take steps to combat such activities, countries of transit and destination must reject any sort of trade derived from illegal activities or origins. In that regard, we value the commitment and efforts of countries that have applied regulations to ensure that such activities are not illegal or do not have illegal origins. We also wish to call upon more countries to follow those noble examples. It is our paramount belief that success in this difficult endeavour can only succeed through regional and international cooperation. The Bali Process is an undertaking to promote such efforts, which we are convinced must be comprehensive and include prevention, protection and prosecution aspects. They should also seek to enhance the capacity of States to make a strong and lasting contribution to the Process. Furthermore, the United Nations Global Plan of Action, which is now being developed, is an important measure that must complement existing programmes and mechanisms at the international, regional and national levels. Finally, let me reiterate that, as a State party to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, Indonesia will continue to support ongoing efforts to combat transnational organized crime, be they at national, regional or international levels. We hope that our meeting today will send an unequivocal message about our united efforts.

I now give the floor to the Deputy Permanent Representative of India.

I realize that you have been extra generous, Madam. I shall try to be as brief and as quick as possible. Thank you very much, Madam, for giving me the opportunity to speak at this commemorative meeting to mark the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Ten years ago when the General Assembly adopted the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols — which deal with the trafficking in persons, the smuggling of migrants and the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms — it represented a significant advance in the battle against transnational organized crime. Since then, 154 countries have ratified the Convention. I have the pleasure today, through you, Madam, to convey to the Assembly that the Government of India has also decided to ratify the Convention and its three Protocols. India is of course committed to working through various regional and international cooperation mechanisms towards a world free of transnational organized crime, illicit drugs, money-laundering, illegal arms transactions, human trafficking and, above all, terrorism. India has been a victim of terrorism for decades. We have lost countless innocent lives to heinous terrorist attacks. Terrorism has also affected most other countries and, indeed, is the scourge of our times. It undermines peace, democracy and freedom and endangers the international community and humankind as a whole. While the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime makes for strengthened cooperation among countries’ law enforcement apparatuses, it is critical that we strengthen the specific multilateral legal framework targeting terrorism. The comprehensive convention on international terrorism has reached a point where the legal issues have been well resolved. We now need to provide the necessary political push so that the convention can be adopted urgently. We recognize that international cooperation on criminal matters is the cornerstone of States’ efforts to prevent, prosecute and punish transnational crime. It is important that we clearly acknowledge the critical role of cooperation among States in the fight against transnational crime — in particular transnational organized crime — and of steps to enhance and reinforce international cooperation at all levels. The international community, including the United Nations, must also be willing to contribute and help States that seek financial and technical assistance in their efforts at capacity building and training and in putting in place the administrative and legal framework and institutional reforms that are required to fight transnational organized crime. We are also convinced of the growing worldwide scale of trafficking in persons and of the complexities involved in dealing with this issue. While national efforts to eliminate trafficking are essential, it is also critical to have greater cohesion in the international community’s efforts in addressing this issue. In that context, the establishment of institutional arrangements at the bilateral, regional and international levels has become indispensable. The international community must also come together for a coordinated and far-sighted global approach. A United Nations global plan of action on preventing trafficking in persons is presently being debated at the General Assembly. It is important that we bring the debate to an early conclusion and adopt the plan. The stepped-up paced of globalization in recent years has seen a vastly increased movement of people, goods and services across borders. There have also been very significant improvements in information and communication technology. While that has an overall benefit to humankind, we need to reckon with the fact that this has also provided a platform for organized crime to increase its transnational footprint. In that context, we are deeply concerned about new areas of transnational crime, such as cybercrime, economic fraud and identity-related crimes and their links with other criminal and terrorist activities. In our view, those developments demand that we agree to take a broader look at transnational organized crime that encompasses these new and emerging threats, while also dealing with crime prevention, criminal justice and the treatment of offenders. At this tenth anniversary of the Convention, it is critical that we commit ourselves to translating our obligations into actions with an even greater degree of cooperation.

I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Colombia.

First of all, let me thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this high-level meeting and stress the importance of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. My country believes that the Convention establishes an appropriate legal framework and that, if implemented effectively, will be an effective tool to address organized crime. The adoption of the Convention represented a major step forward in combating transnational crime. It also reflected the recognition of States of the seriousness of the challenges posed by such crime. This important instrument introduced innovations into the legal sphere, not only by categorizing crimes such as participation in an organized criminal group and obstruction of justice, but also by developing the legal concept of money-laundering and related offences. Quite rightly, the Convention established as one of its primary purposes the facilitation of international cooperation and attached particular importance to mutual legal assistance measures in criminal matters, such as extradition. Colombia has adopted legal measures and instruments to develop and go beyond the provisions of the Palermo Convention and its Protocols. Colombian legislation includes an extensive array of offences punishable proportionately with the seriousness of the crimes established by the Convention. Through its law No. 793 of 2002, Colombia toughened the legal concept of extinction of ownership rights, while, through law No. 1121 of 2006, we defined the financing of terrorism as an independent crime. The results achieved through the application of those legal concepts illustrate that a successful criminal policy is not limited to traditional mechanisms such as increasing prison terms, but that we need to weaken the actual financial structure of criminal organizations. My country recognizes that the efforts of a single country are insufficient to dealing with this multidimensional transnational crime. A global problem requires a global response. Colombia therefore reaffirms its willingness to provide the broadest possible cooperation and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters at the international level. To that end, our 2004 code of criminal procedure provides for measures such as the flexible application of the principle of double jeopardy, the swift implementation of extradition and the incorporation of special investigative techniques. When it adopted the Convention, the General Assembly expressed grave concern over the growing links between transnational organized crime and terrorism and called upon States to acknowledge those links and apply the Convention to address them. The existence of these connections is beyond dispute. Transnational crime is used by terrorist groups to finance and facilitate their criminal activities. Consequently, these two types of crime must be fought in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. That approach necessarily leads to the principle of shared responsibility. International cooperation in implementing that principle should promote and support the coordination of initiatives and actions to address the challenges created by transnational crime while focusing on controlling sources of funding, procurement and logistical support. The 155 States parties to the Convention must promote and improve international cooperation to address the challenges to States posed by these crimes and their links. The establishment of a review mechanism for the Convention and its Protocols is another tool that will foster cooperation and dialogue to address this crime. My country supports the establishment of an impartial, effective, transparent, flexible and reliable mechanism that does not provide for sanctions of any kind. Colombia is participating on a voluntary basis in the pilot review programme. We hope that the recommendations that will emanate from that experience will contribute to overcoming difficulties, promoting achievements and developing strategies to confront the challenges together. It is not possible to combat organized crime with isolated efforts. What we need are strategic alliances that enable us to jointly advance towards our goal of achieving a safer society. Colombia firmly believes that the Convention and its Protocols provide a broad and appropriate framework to prevent, investigate and punish all forms of organized crime. It is therefore necessary to expand efforts towards the full implementation and universal ratification of the Convention. We must support the work of the Conference of States Parties as a follow-up mechanism and devote sufficient resources to provide technical assistance to requesting States parties. In providing such assistance, the Organization’s efforts and resources should support States parties in the implementation of the Convention and, for non-State parties, help to adapt their legal frameworks and institutional capacities in order that they can join the Convention. The universal ratification of the Convention as an essential framework for effective international cooperation based on trust, reciprocity and effective collaboration must be our common goal.