Vienna, 28 August (UN Information Service)-Japan and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are bound together by a profound desire to make the world safer from drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism, the head of UNODC Yury Fedotov said today.
"With its strong focus on democracy and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Japan is an excellent strategic partner for UNODC's work tackling drugs, crime and terrorism not just in the Asia region, but all over the world," he said.
Mr. Fedotov was speaking after the fourth annual review of UNODC's strategic relationship with Japan. The country has a long history of close collaboration with UNODC against drugs and terrorism, and strengthening crime prevention and criminal justice reform.
During the meeting, the UNODC Chief and Deputy Minister for Foreign Policy Mr Satoshi Suzuki, who led the Japanese delegation, signed a revised joint action plan focusing on touchstone issues such as regional cooperation, Afghanistan, countering terrorism and violent extremism, human trafficking and cybercrime.
The Japanese delegation and senior UNODC officials also discussed maritime security and safety and the rise of transnational crime activities in the Sulu-Celebres Sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. Both sides acknowledged the worrying relationship between terrorism and piracy and armed robbery against ships.
Japan is a key partner for UNODC and will host the 14th UN Crime Congress in 2020. In July Japan became a party to the UN Convention Against Corruption and the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols on human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
For further information, contact:
David Dadge
Spokesperson, UNODC
Telephone: (+43 1) 26060-5629
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5629
Email: david.dadge[at]unvienna.org