Director General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to extend my sympathies and condolences to all those affected by the devastating earthquake earlier this week.
Welcome to the launch of the new UNODC Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe, which is an important and a strategic region for UNODC.
I would like to thank all our counterparts in the region for their support and excellent cooperation in the implementation of the current Regional Programme and the development of the new one. Your contribution has been invaluable.
This Regional Programme charts the course of our common work in the region until 2023 to counter the threats posed by drugs, organized crime and terrorism.
The Regional Programme stands as an example of how much can be achieved through effective partnerships and with UNODC's integrated support to the implementation of relevant conventions and treaties.
And this further helps with other national priorities in these countries.
Our "One UNODC" response brings together global, regional and thematic operations, ensuring coordination and an optimized use of resources. The effectiveness of our operations is further guaranteed by our reliance on independent evaluation to inform and improve our programmes.
An integral part of the UNODC inter-regional drug control approach, the Regional Programme is entirely aligned with the 2030 Agenda, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework processes conducted in South Eastern Europe and the work of the UN Development Group Regional Team.
UNODC attaches great value to partnerships throughout its work in the region. This translates into opportunities for coordinated joint actions with other regional, inter-regional and international organizations.
I am pleased to see some of these partners represented here today.
Among the most essential elements of UNODC work in South Eastern Europe are local ownership and non-duplication.
The Regional Programme is developed inclusively, in close consultation and with the guidance of the countries of the region, in order to target UNODC's support to the needs of the countries and address the areas where maximum impact can be achieved.
The Regional Programme's work with governments and civil society stakeholders in South Eastern Europe is comprised of three inter-connected sub-programmes, focused on law enforcement and border security, the fight against organized crime and illicit financial flows, and drug prevention and treatment. UNODC also supports comprehensive responses to counter opiate trafficking along the Balkan route.
A cross-cutting pillar puts an emphasis on research, policy and monitoring. Gender issues are integrated systematically across the Programme's work.
The impact of strengthened research capacity is illustrated by a regional initiative undertaken by UNODC with the support of the European Union, entitled "Measuring and Assessing Organized Crime in the Western Balkans".
It focuses on regional data collection on organized crime, allowing to develop a framework to monitor trends and guide policy interventions.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
UNODC's work in South Eastern Europe has seen an increase in financial contributions. We see it as a mark of donors' trust in the relevance of what we do. I would like to thank our longstanding supporters and new donors for their commitment, and I hope that our donor base will continue to broaden.
I am confident that the strong involvement of stakeholders in the region in the elaboration of this roadmap and the emphasis on national ownership will translate into increased, sustainable impact on the ground. UNODC will work hard to deliver well-targeted assistance, for the people who need it most.
I wish you a successful meeting. I will now give the floor to my colleagues who will present the Regional Programme in more detail.
Thank you.