Director General/Executive Director
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for joining us today.
Supporting conflict prevention through security sector reform is a highly relevant priority, which is fully in line with the Secretary-General's vision on prevention.
Transnational organized crime contributes to and exacerbates instability, prolongs conflict and hinders peace.
The nexus of crime and terrorism is a growing concern for the international community.
A well-governed and accountable security sector is a prerequisite for dealing with such threats.
My thanks, therefore, to Ambassador Mlynár and Slovakia for co-hosting this important event at the Crime Commission.
We have all benefitted from Slovakia's longstanding advocacy and efforts in promoting security sector reform, a topic introduced during their presidency of the UNSC in 2007 and taken forward through the Group of Friends.
I welcome our special guest SRSG Jan Kubis, who brings a wealth of experience from his service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I also welcome Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Afghanistan Masood Azizi, and Ambassador Jabir Hemaidawi of Iraq.
Finally, I am grateful to the OSCE and Secretary-General Thomas Greminger for co-sponsoring this event and for the operational and policy-level cooperation on this issue between our offices.
UNODC launched the Integrated Guidance Note on security sector reform and transnational organized crime in parallel with the OSCE Guidance Note on Security Sector Governance and Reform in 2016. We have continued these synergies through our Joint Action Plan.
This event is an opportunity to discuss current efforts, challenges, linkages and future prospects for security sector reform.
Addressing threats posed by crime as well as terrorism in security sector reform, as part of an integrated security-development-human rights approach, is particularly important in fragile and post-conflict areas where the UN is engaged in building stability, peace and the rule of law.
UNODC is actively providing the needed assistance, in line with our mandate to assist countries in implementing the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocols on firearms, migrant smuggling and human trafficking.
We are also supporting implementation of the Convention against Corruption, the drug conventions, the global counter-terrorism instruments and UN standards and norms on crime prevention and criminal justice.
UNODC support prioritizes national ownership and regional approaches, both of which are critical for sustainability and effectiveness in address transnational threats.
This is evident in our three-tier national, regional and inter-regional approach to address record drug production in Afghanistan in the context of a highly challenging security situation.
Our aim is to enable the flexible cooperation needed to respond to shifting trafficking routes and new criminal actors.
We are working closely with the Afghan government in these efforts, as well as with neighbouring countries and regions through existing coordination platforms including the Triangular Initiative, the Afghanistan-Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Initiative, CARICC and the Networking the Networks Initiative.
Through our Strategic Actions to Respond to the Global Threats of Opium initiative, or SARTO, UNODC is also seeking to further sensitize the international community to the global implications of opium overproduction, and build up support for Afghanistan efforts to respond, in line with the shared responsibility principle.
In this context, the forthcoming socio-economic survey report, jointly prepared by UNODC and the Ministry of Counter Narcotics of Afghanistan, will focus on the consequences of record opium production and challenges to sustainable development, peace, and security.
Excellencies,
Promoting security sector reform is equally important in Iraq following the defeat of ISIL, and UNODC is supporting the government to strengthen its legal regime against terrorism.
Just last month we launched a two-year programme on "lessons learned from Iraq's counter-terrorism efforts and response to future challenges: Iraq after ISIL/Da'esh", which is a testament of the strong partnership between Iraq and UNODC.
Working in close cooperation with the government and the UN Assistance Mission, UNODC will support the criminal justice and law enforcement actors in responding to emerging terrorism challenges, enhance preparedness and capabilities to prevent terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, provide capacity building on securing dual-use chemicals and help promote safety and security in liberated areas.
This is just a brief overview of the work we are doing with the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan, in coordination with the UN Assistance Missions, the OSCE and other partners.
We are committed to enhancing responses wherever possible, including through UN system-wide assessments and action on security sector reform.
This session today can help to inform our work and contribute to overall efforts to promote prevention and sustain peace.
I look forward to the results of the discussion. Thank you.