Director General/Executive Director
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the 9th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Palermo Convention's entry into force.
In this time, the role of the Convention and its Protocols on human trafficking, migrant smuggling and firearms in addressing urgent threats and challenges has been repeatedly reconfirmed and recognized.
In December 2015, the Security Council held a ground-breaking debate on human trafficking in situations of conflict, where the Council called on Member States to effectively implement the trafficking protocol.
One year later, the Council adopted the first resolution recognizing the links between human trafficking, sexual violence and terrorism, and the threats they post to international peace and security.
I had the privilege of addressing these debates with UNODC Goodwill Ambassador Nadia Murad, now a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
In her testimonies, Ms. Murad recounted the terrible crimes committed by ISIL against herself and the Yazidi community, bringing to light the horrific exploitation and abuse suffered by trafficking victims.
Ms. Murad and I also spoke at the first-ever UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants.
I would like to take the opportunity to once again say how proud we are at UNODC to be working with such a great champion for justice.
We need such champions more than ever.
The international community is confronted on a daily basis by cybercrime and the online sexual exploitation and abuse of children; the use of cryptocurrencies to launder criminal proceeds; and illicit firearms trafficking supplying terrorists with deadly weapons.
Maritime crime and wildlife crime are stealing away livelihoods and endangering natural resources.
These are complex, cross-border threats with a scale and impact that could hardly have been foreseen nearly two decades ago when the Convention was signed in Palermo.
And yet the Convention and its Protocols have more than stood the test of time.
A milestone in global criminal justice cooperation and far-sighted in its approach, the Organized Crime Convention now has 189 States parties. The Protocols have also achieved a high level of acceptance.
I am also pleased to note that Sudan has now acceded to the migrant smuggling and firearms protocols.
I encourage the few remaining states who have yet to join to take advantage of this anniversary to show their commitment to international cooperation against transnational organized crime in all its forms.
UNODC continues to assist the Conference in its deliberations on a review mechanism for the Convention and its Protocols.
I wish the States parties every success in their negotiations to continue the process of establishing the review mechanism.
You can rely on UNODC's support with this and with follow-up on any mandates emanating from the Conference at this session.
Our Office remains fully engaged in supporting you to make the best use of the Convention and Protocols, through rights-based, gender-responsive criminal justice action that prioritizes prevention and supports victims.
UNODC has further developed and expanded knowledge management and information sharing to underpin implementation and close legislative loopholes.
The SHERLOC portal offers a wealth of information on patterns in transnational and serious organized crime, from administrators of darknet sites and motorcycle gangs, to organized criminal groups providing services to terrorist organizations.
We are working with partners such as INTERPOL and harmonizing UN system responses through the ICAT Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons.
UNODC is building capacities to combat money laundering, secure global supply chains, undertake digital forensic investigations and much more.
I urge State parties to use this session of the Conference to further strengthen cooperation and help UNODC to provide such support.
Disparities in capacities and coordination enable transnational organized crime networks to evade justice.
We need to close gaps and address vulnerabilities, between countries and regions as well as online, if we are to effectively address these challenges.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wish you every success in your deliberations this week.
Thank you.