Brussels, 5 July 2024. Donor engagement helps strengthen partnerships in the fight against organized crime and requires an exchange of views, progress and needs. To strengthen joint engagement, the UNTOC Review Mechanism was at the centre of discussions in Brussels at a key event organized by the European Commission and bilateral meetings on 24 and 25 June 2024.
The first event entitled "Priorities of the Home Affairs Funds" saw the participation of national authorities and project coordinators of EU-funded projects, including the UNODC's Global Programme to Support the Implementation of the UNTOC Review Mechanism. Giovanni Gallo, Chief of UNODC’s Conference Support Section, Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch, and Issam Alkhayat, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer working at the UNTOC Review Mechanism Secretariat, participated in the event. They had the opportunity to discuss with EU Commission officials the Home Affairs funding priorities for the coming years and share lessons learned and experiences.
The mission to Brussels also offered an opportunity to further expand existing cooperation and exchange of information relating to the progress and financial situation of the UNTOC Review Mechanism. In bilateral meetings with EU officials from the European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG-HOME), Mr. Gallo presented the status, prospects and financial needs of the UNTOC Review Mechanism. During the meetings, the counterparts pointed out that the EU is strongly engaged in the review process and supports the developments and progress of the Mechanism.
"Discussing EU priorities, the potential and the needs of the UNTOC Review Mechanism while at the same time fulfilling overall common objectives is what true partnership is about," Mr. Gallo emphasized. "The partnership with the EU is key. We encourage other donors to reach out to us to discuss common priorities and how we can work together," he added.
The Review Mechanism is a unique peer-review process providing States with the opportunity to work together to review progress in their efforts to prevent and counter transnational organized crime. The Mechanism is a critical tool to take stock of efforts to implement the Organized Crime Convention, but also of implementation gaps and technical assistance requirements to bring about global change and tangible impact in the fight against organized crime. The Mechanism is mainly funded through voluntary contributions. In 2024, new funding was provided by the European Union and the United States of America.
