Director-General/Executive Director
30 June 2014
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to the meeting of the Steering Committee for UNODC's Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe.
Your participation demonstrates the commitment displayed by all partners in furthering cooperation in South Eastern Europe.
Let me say that I especially appreciate the continued support of the Regional Programme by donor countries.
This is essential given our objective of countering drug trafficking across South Eastern Europe, as well as the money laundering, corruption, human trafficking and drug abuse often linked to this crime.
We can be proud of the tangible results with regard to the implementation of the Programme, in an integrated manner, based on effective and efficient action, as well as leveraging the experience and expertise in the region.
In doing so, our work is complementing and delivering added value to the efforts of other regional actors.
South Eastern Europe also forms part of UNODC's Inter-Regional Drug Control Approach designed to halt the flow of opium from Afghanistan.
Although in its pilot phase, this approach is producing results, while ensuring greater inter-connectivity across UNODC's Programmes and initiatives against the main three Afghan drug routes, including by sea.
Last week, I was in New York speaking in the Security Council Chamber on Afghanistan's many challenges.
In my speech, I made specific reference to UNODC's "Networking the Networks" approach, which promotes coordination among counter-narcotic intelligence sharing centres such as CARICC and SELEC.
I am pleased to see a representative of SELEC here today, along with those from other regional organizations. Your presence today reinforces the importance of this new approach.
To enhance our work, UNODC has also connected the Regional Programme for South Eastern Europe to the Paris Pact Initiative, as well as our Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries.
In the first half of 2014, the Regional Programme, in cooperation with our Global Programmes, has delivered a number of results.
I am glad to inform you that the UNODC report on South Eastern European trafficking routes is now widely used by countries in the region and beyond.
Progress has been made in the UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme in Albania and Montenegro, and a UNODC office has been opened in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I would encourage all three countries to continue their support of UNODC in the delivery of our regional activities.
We are also moving forward with the training of law enforcement officials at the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime. To Support our work in Turkey and the region, UNODC will soon open a new office in Ankara.
We are also helping countries in the region to confront corruption; this is especially important given the negotiations under Chapter 23 and 24 of the EU acquis.
South Eastern European countries have received good cooperation in the areas of human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and money laundering.
UNODC will have a special focus on money laundering in the second half of 2014, and I encourage all countries to work together with UNODC in this important area.
Another new field for UNODC in the region is our work on social inclusion in prisons.
UNODC is currently developing a gender perspective within our Regional Programme, and the support of countries in the region, and donors, in the implementation of this initiative would be welcomed.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to thank every donor for their willingness to support UNODC.
Thanks to you, UNODC is now producing integrated responses to illicit drugs and organized crime that avoid duplication and enhance cooperation and coordination.
I should add that, in maintaining the Regional Programme in Vienna, we are proving ourselves to be cost effective and efficient in the delivery of our work.
I hope that you will continue to offer your support to the Regional Programme, and that together, we will develop the activities needed to support the region and to interrupt the movement of illicit drugs from Afghanistan.
Thank you.