Issue 102 | December 1, 2017
A quick and easy update of the latest UNODC and international drugs and crime news. Can't read this newsletter? View it online
here.
UNODC News
Collective horror at slave markets can drive our response to human trafficking, UNODC Chief tells UN Security Council
I join the Secretary-General António Guterres in condemning slave markets in Libya, the Executive Director of UNODC, Yury Fedotov, said
recently
at an open debate of the UN Security Council. The UN Secretary-General, in his remarks to the Council, said: "We must act urgently to protect the human rights and dignity of migrant populations." [Read more]
Afghan opium production jumps to record level, up 87 per cent: Survey
Opium production in Afghanistan increased by 87 per cent to a record level of 9,000 metric tons in 2017 compared with 2016 levels, according to the latest Afghanistan Opium Survey figures released by the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics and UNODC. The area under opium poppy cultivation also increased to a record 328,000 hectares (ha) in 2017, up 63 per cent compared with 201,000 hectares in 2016. [Read more]
UNODC develops new animated series to help promote primary-level ethics education
At a major UN anti-corruption conference, UNODC unveiled a new cartoon campaign to promote ethics and values teaching to primary school children. Based on an animated series,
The Zorbs , the campaign tells of an imaginary planet and its inhabitants who overcome a range of challenges thanks to core values and skills as promoted under the organization's Education for Justice (E4J) initiative. [Read more]
Improving integrity in fisheries value chains of Southeast Asia
The fisheries sector is one of the most critical industries worldwide for food security and poverty alleviation. However, the sector is also vulnerable to a wide variety of crimes due to its long value chain and the complex web of global actors. To better understand the risks of corruption and economic crimes in particular, UNODC recently organised a technical meeting on "Identifying risks of economic crimes and corruption in the fisheries sector in Southeast Asia". [Read more]
Colombia: UNODC holds training to share knowledge on cocaine and laboratory criminal techniques
UNODC has been a strong and committed supporter of Colombia's activities to combat the growing challenges posed by cocaine cultivation, production and trafficking. In this regard, UNODC and the Government of Colombia organized a joint five-days training to strengthen technical knowledge about cocaine cultivation, production and laboratory criminal techniques. [Read more]
UNODC joins forces with Mexico to eliminate gender-based violence
Many women and girls around the world continue to fall victim to numerous forms of discrimination, including violence, requiring a coordinated and systematic approach at all levels.In a bid to tackle gender-based violence, UNODC has joined forces with Mexico and established a programme entitled "Strengthening of the Security for Vulnerable Groups". The programme aims to train 8,000 police officers and 1,000 emergency call operators in 19 federal states. [Read more]
Southeast Asia: Investigators plan joint responses to tackle human trafficking and migrant smuggling
Senior law enforcement officers from Southeast Asia gathered in Bangkok to map out responses to cases of trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants, under the stewardship of UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Organised by the UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the workshop aimed to strengthen regional law enforcement collaboration at the operational level. [Read more]
#Hack4Justice: the third E4J Hackathon took place in Indonesia to boost rule of law
In recent weeks, UNODC's Education for Justice (E4J) initiative held its third hackathon (or coding challenge) in Indonesia, through its Country Office in Jakarta. The event - #Hack4Justice - saw some 30 secondary school students between the ages of 13 and 18 gather in Jakarta, Indonesia to battle it out at the keyboard and show off their ideas and talent in developing educational games focussing on justice and rule of law issues.[Read More]
El Salvador joins UNODC's Blue Heart campaign to end human trafficking
El Salvador is the latest country to join the Blue Heart Campaign against Human Trafficking. Launched by the Government of El Salvador and the UNODC's Office for Central America and the Caribbean, the campaign aims to mobilize governments, civil society organizations, media and the private sector to expose and combat this serious crime. The launching ceremony, took place at the International Centre of Fairs and Conventions [Read more]
World's largest anti-corruption event ends, calls for a future free of this "poisonous crime"
"We all have a duty to speak out against corruption wherever it occurs, so that the future is free of this poisonous crime," UNODC's Executive Director Yury Fedotov said. He added: "We cannot do this alone. Ending corruption will take everyone's commitment and determination." Mr. Fedotov said that, with each passing COSP session, the world moved closer to achieving the universal adoption of UNCAC as the world's most powerful anti-corruption tool. [Read more]
Discussion on CoSP7 sidelines underscores need for judiciaries to balance integrity with independence
"Finding the perfect balance between integrity, transparency, accountability and judicial independence is absolutely essential," said UNODC's Oliver Stolpe who leads the Office's efforts in supporting Member States in the implementation of the groundbreaking Doha Declaration adopted at the 13th UN Crime Congress in Doha in 2015. [Read more]
Corruption hits most vulnerable; obliterates faith in good governance, UN chief tells forum in Vienna
Corruption can strike anywhere and deny people's hope of a better future, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the world's largest anti-corruption forum, while urging global leaders to set positive examples and restore faith in good governance. "I have seen how corruption hits the poor, the weak and the most vulnerable of all," the Secretary-General said in remarks delivered by Yury Fedotov, UNODC Chief. [Read more]
UNODC and Egypt sign Memorandum of Understanding to combat corruption
On the margins of CoSP7, UNODC and Egypt signed a Memorandum of Understanding, reiterating their commitment to join forces in the fight against this crime.UNODC Chief said: "This Memorandum not only serves as a framework to further deepen our cooperation with the Administrative Control Authority to fight the scourge of corruption, but it also represents a major step in enhancing the important partnership between Egypt and UNODC." [Read more]
Links between corruption and wildlife crime highlighted at UN anti-corruption conference
The Secretariat of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora and UNODC spearheaded a number of events at the CoSP7 to UNCAC to encourage Parties to both conventions to tackle the corruption associated with illicit wildlife trade. There is an increasing recognition that to curb the global surge in wildlife trafficking, the world's governments must increase their efforts to fight the corrosive corruption that enables it. [Read more]
Corruption hits the most vulnerable hardest, says UN Secretary-General António Guterres in message to UN Anti-corruption conference
Although corruption can strike anywhere, I have seen how it hits the poor, the weak, and the most vulnerable, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message, read by UNODC's Executive Director at the opening of CoSP7. "It can deny people access to health services, schools and economic opportunities. It can deny them hope of a better future," the UN Secretary-General said. [Read more]
Historic agreement between Colombia and UNODC can help farmers embrace alternatives to coca cultivation
"My warmest thanks to Italy and the other countries who have so generously given money to the UN Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children," the Chief of UNODC Yury Fedotov said, adding that: "Donations are the Trust Fund's lifeblood. So far, they have helped thousands of victims around the world. We will now pour every single cent of this new funding into helping the victims of today become tomorrow's survivors." [Read more]
UNODC Executive Director calls for greater cooperation on drug control, fighting illicit financial flows, terrorism financing
With one quarter of Afghan opium trafficked through the Central Asian region, participants at the 10th Review Meeting of the Memorandum of Understanding on Sub-Regional Drug Control Cooperation agreed on the need for greater cooperation and a common strategy to confront this fluid challenge. The meeting was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and opened by Minister of Foreign Affairs. [Read more]
Ending human trafficking possible only with regional cooperation in investigating and prosecuting crimes
Addressing human trafficking can be very difficult and complicated. The lack of uniform legislation in West and Central Asia and weak cooperation among stakeholders makes the prosecution of crimes and the protection of victims even more challenging.As part of efforts to address trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, UNODC recently hosted a regional workshop on international and regional cooperation in investigating and prosecuting these crimes. [Read more]
Other Resources
|