The Eleventh United Nations Crime Congress

“Synergies and Responses: Strategic Alliances in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice” was the theme of the Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 14 to 25 April.

Understanding that more effective concerted action is needed to respond to the growing threats posed by organized crime and terrorism, United Nations Member States decided at the Eleventh Congress to strengthen strategic alliances to fight the global crime problem.

These alliances are all the more urgent given that the nature, size and awareness of transnational crime have increased, according to Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director of UNODC and Secretary-General of the Eleventh Congress. This increase is mainly due to greater freedom in communication, trade and transport, he said.

In responding to the challenges faced by the international community, the “Bangkok Declaration” adopted by the Eleventh Congress reaffirmed Member States’ readiness to improve cooperation to combat transnational organized crime, corruption, terrorism, and economic and financial crimes through multilateral, regional and bilateral initiatives. Specific areas of intervention include, among others, extradition and mutual legal assistance, asset recovery, money-laundering, and computer-related crime.

Delegates also highlighted the importance of implementing existing international instruments on crime prevention and terrorism. Hence, the “Bangkok Declaration” called on all States that had not yet done so to ratify and implement the 12 universal counter-terrorism instruments, the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols, and the Convention against Corruption.

Recommendations were also made to devise measures to combat kidnapping and human trafficking, to review standards and norms in relation to prisons, and to make voluntary contributions and technical assistance available to developing countries struggling to fight crime.

Participation at the Eleventh Congress was not only open to government officials: NGOs, researchers, academics and social justice advocates also had a chance to contribute to the deliberations. 2,370 participants attended the Congress, including 85 ministers of State and other government officials, representatives of 167 NGOs, and 1,135 individual experts.

During its fourteenth session held in May 2005, the Crime Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice considered the conclusions and recommendations of the Eleventh Congress. The General Assembly will decide on appropriate follow-up at its sixtieth session.