Director General/Executive Director
Your Royal Highness,
Prime Minister Shinawatre,
Minister Nitisiri,
Excellencies, distinguished participants,
I am honoured to speak at this important conference that features so many distinguished speakers and participants.
The Bangkok Dialogue on the Rule of Law is an excellent opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished together under the Millennium Development Goals and to take the discussion on the post-2015 development agenda forward.
There has been a growing realization that weak rule of law and lack of good governance pose a major threat to social and economic development the world over, and that they have hindered progress in attaining the MDGs.
The recent report by the Secretary-General on advancing the UN development agenda beyond 2015, "A Life of Dignity for All", acknowledges the importance of "effective governance based on the rule of law and transparent institutions" as an outcome and enabler of development.
It emphasizes that "organized crime, including trafficking in people and drugs, violates human rights and undermines development".
To further quote the report of the Secretary-General, "the deepening ways in which the lives of people and countries are linked demand a universal agenda addressing the world's most pressing challenges and seizing the opportunities of a new era".
Now justice and security, and threats to judicial systems and law enforcement, like transnational organized crime, drugs, trafficking, terrorism and corruption, have been brought into the international debate on the post-2015 development agenda.
This emphasis on combating transnational organized crime and promoting the rule of law as an essential and integrated part of development efforts goes to the heart of our work at UNODC.
Our Office serves as the guardian of the international conventions on drugs, Transnational Organized Crime, and Corruption. UNODC is therefore well-placed to help lead the dialogue on addressing drugs and crime and promoting the rule of law to achieve sustainable development goals.
We also provide quality research and analysis on these topics to support these policy discussions.
My Office recently led consultations with an expert group on developing appropriate indicators, including for rule of law, justice and security, as they relate to development.
The consultations resulted in a concept paper that brings together these various streams of work and sets out a roadmap for developing a measurement framework for justice and security in relation to development.
Moreover, thanks to Thailand's leading role, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, at its 22 nd session earlier this year, passed a resolution on the rule of law, crime prevention and criminal justice in the UN development agenda beyond 2015. It is expected to be adopted by the General Assembly shortly.
Key forthcoming events will also help take this discussion forward.
In just a few weeks, we will hold the Fifth Conference of State Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption in Panama City, which will put the spotlight on corruption's impact on development.
Next year the Commission on Narcotic Drugs will conduct a high-level review of implementation of the 2009 Political Declaration and Plan of Action on the World Drug Problem. A special session of the UN General Assembly on drug policies will follow in 2016.
And in 2015, the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Qatar will specifically focus on integrating crime prevention and criminal justice into the wider UN agenda to address social and economic challenges and to promote the rule of law.
So our dialogue today comes at an opportune moment.
It is my hope that it will also help ensure that this discussion on rule of law and the post-2015 development agenda remains broad-based and inclusive.
One challenge that we continue to face is the tendency to work in uncoordinated silos. It is too often the case that those concerned with governance, justice and development work in isolation from one another. This clearly needs to change.
Because it is a fact that terrible consequences of crime and drugs affect us all.
A recent UNODC study on transnational organized crime in East Asia and the Pacific conservatively estimated the value of crime flows in the region at $90 billion per year.
At the same time, Southeast Asia has become increasingly interconnected, with major partners, including ASEAN, development banks and UN agencies, helping to bring states closer together.
This integration offers unprecedented opportunities to countries and people, but it is also vulnerable to exploitation by criminals.
Furthermore, effective and humane justice systems and institutions are fundamental to building societies that facilitate growth and development.
That is to say, not only does the absence of rule of law hinder development progress, but the promotion of justice and the rule of law are critical for achieving development success.
In Southeast Asia indicators look positive for a sustained upward trajectory for economic development. That said, human well-being, and its connection with fairness and justice, cannot be reduced simply to the measurement of GDP and growth.
A basic and fundamental point is that investment in justice systems is a pre-requisite for long-term prosperity.
UNODC understands how security and justice are interlinked and interact with development, including in Southeast Asia.
In response, we assist states around the world in addressing crime and drug challenges they have to deal with, and with criminal justice programmes that contribute to the rule of law.
Just yesterday we formally announced a new Regional Programme for Southeast Asia here in Bangkok with the support of HRH Princess Mahidol, the Minister of Justice, and the Government of Thailand.
The Regional Programme looks to address the issues of rule of law and justice, working with and assisting Member States here in Southeast Asia to strengthen key institutions. Within its framework, UNODC will coordinate and engage with other actors in Southeast Asia working on similar issues, ensuring that its work is complementary and helps to achieve the same, desired result.
This is the same integrated approach UNODC is taking through its network of field offices in regions and countries around the world, which is also helping to mainstream crime and justice issues in the development agenda.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I look forward to listening to the insights of the many leaders and thinkers here today. The Bangkok Dialogue is truly a unique opportunity for us all to debate issues and listen to different and important perspectives.
I commend the Thailand Institute of Justice for putting this event together and the Government of Thailand and Her Royal Highness for taking an active and strong lead in global criminal justice and rule of law fora and in the post-2015 debate.
Thank you.