Yury Fedotov
Director General/Executive Director
Your Royal Highness, Madam Chairperson,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The 21 st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice is now drawing to a close.
Over the last five days, the Commission has conducted 11 agenda items; listened to dozens of speeches, allowed numerous interventions, convened several workshops and consultations, and held 27 major side events.
The resolutions that were adopted focus on strengthening international cooperation to combat transnational organized crime.
We will use resolutions on such issues as eliminating violence against migrants, migrant workers and their families, and countering maritime piracy, as the foundation for our activities and programmes that support the victims of crime.
Together these resolutions will help to strengthen UNODC's overall mandate.
It is also a sign of the power of the Commission's voice. One that carries resonance here, but also elsewhere in other institutions that help shape the global crime agenda.
I am particularly pleased that we now have a major outline of the roadmap that will take us to the Crime Congress in Qatar in 2015.
This major event will help to integrate crime prevention and criminal justice into the wider United Nations agenda, and to address social and economic challenges, as well as the rule of law and human rights.
Both the President of the General Assembly in his message to the Commission, and the President of ECOSOC in his statement, stressed that drugs and crime are an impediment to social and economic development.
It is a threat that I know Member States are also taking extremely seriously.
But, if Monday outlined the scale of the problem, our subsequent work over the week has provided a clear indication about how we intend to respond.
The need to address issues such as money laundering, human trafficking and cybercrime was highlighted by several members.
I also welcome the many signs that the inter-agency approach is rooted in the work and side events of the Commission.
The presence of UN principals such as the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, François Crépeau, and the SRSG on Violence against Children, Marta Santos Pais, has underlined this.
The inter-agency approach was also reinforced by the side event on human trafficking within the context of tourism. The event followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between UNODC and UNWTO.
I appreciate that this event was acknowledged by one of the resolutions of the Commission. I look forward to reporting on its implementation at a later date.
On the same day, another side event, the Integrity IPO, showed how UNODC is working with the World Economic Forum to encourage the private sector to support anti-corruption efforts.
And, mirroring this inter-agency approach is the inter-divisional approach within UNODC itself.
The thematic discussion on Violence against Migrants, Migrant Workers and their Families is much broader than any individual UNODC mandate.
Working together the Human Trafficking and Smuggling Section and the Justice Section provided vital support to ensure the success of the thematic debate.
It has resulted in a strong resolution that recognizes the need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to protect the human rights of migrants, migrant workers and their families.
The United Nations, and in particular, UNODC, is uniquely placed to help promote this coordination and cooperation.
The Commission can also encourage states to adopt the Conventions on Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, the Convention against Corruption and legal instruments against terrorism.
I appreciate the work of NGOs. I look forward to working with you in the future so that we can continue our dialogue on matters of mutual interest.
I express my sincere thanks to Her Royal Highness, Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol of Thailand, the Chairperson of the 21 st Session of the Commission.
Your stewardship has ensured the success of this Commission and I thank you on behalf of UNODC.
I also thank the Secretariat to the Governing Bodies for all their hard work, especially the Chief, Jo Dedeyne, but also her staff.
My thanks also to the staff of Conference Management, Information Technology and Security and Safety Services, and the various UNODC Divisions, particularly DTA and its Director, John Sandage, as well as the United Nations Information Service for their work.
Finally, let me thank all of the delegates present for your own commitment to this Commission.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
For one week, we have discussed crime.
Through that dialogue we have produced resolutions that define our approach to this challenge.
However, this is not the end. It is only the beginning.
The Commission has been the source of mandates; working closely together, we must now become the source of practical action.
Thank you.