Director-General/Executive Director
Your Excellency, Mr. Ken Saito, Minister of Justice of Japan,
Distinguished Ministers,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am honoured to join you today for this Justice Ministers’ Interface meeting.
I would like to begin by thanking the Ministry of Justice of Japan for organizing this historic event, which brings together justice ministers from ASEAN and the G7 for the first time.
Japan is building a valuable multilateral bridge and setting an example of cross-regional dialogue that should be replicated between other Groups and regions.
Today, the ASEAN and the G7 can improve cooperation and connectivity in the face of interconnected challenges.
Transnational criminal threats in the ASEAN region have evolved over the past decade, with links to other regions, including G7 countries.
The criminal misuse of the internet is surging.
We have seen an alarming increase in sexual abuse and exploitation of children online, with perpetrators spread across regions and jurisdictions.
Cases of cyber-fraud are also multiplying in many Southeast Asian countries, while cryptocurrencies are being used to enable crime and impunity.
G7 countries hold valuable know-how and relationships with private sector actors that are key in stopping the criminal misuse of modern technologies.
Meanwhile, the illicit drug market in Southeast Asia has expanded, particularly synthetic drugs, with regional and global implications.
The methamphetamine market in the region alone is valued at over 60 billion dollars, while seizures of ketamine reached record levels last year.
Crimes such as trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, as well as timber and wildlife trafficking, exploit people and nature in the region to meet international demand, helped by sophisticated money laundering networks.
Transnational organized crime groups active in G7 countries are also targeting the ASEAN region.
They are trafficking waste and plastic, acquiring and trafficking precursor chemicals, and diverting pharmaceuticals for the synthetic drug trade, as well as sourcing and trafficking cultural property.
Only by working together can the ASEAN and the G7 address these threats.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime is a firm believer in the power of multilateralism, and your committed partner.
We have been working extensively to foster cooperation, trust, and understanding between countries, including in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, through our regional office and 11 programme offices on the ground.
We support a number of platforms that facilitate cooperation between the ASEAN and the G7, specifically on justice and the rule of law.
One such mechanism is the Criminal Justice Forum for Asia and the Pacific – Crim-AP – which serves as a vital link between the ASEAN and several G7 member states, and fosters exchange and collaboration between practitioners.
The most recent session brought together participants from 18 countries and five international organizations.
Another mechanism we support is the Southeast Asia Judicial Network – SEAJust – an operational platform for international judicial cooperation, which has facilitated mutual legal assistance in over 30 cases since its establishment in 2020.
I am very pleased to note that all ASEAN countries are members of SEAJust, and from the G7, the US has already joined and there will be more to come.
Meanwhile, the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities Network – GlobE – is facilitating anti-corruption investigations across borders, connecting 160 anti-corruption entities from 90 countries, including two from G7 countries and four from the ASEAN region.
I encourage you all to make use of these platforms for greater cross-regional cooperation.
I also encourage G7 countries to continue and expand their support to UNODC’s work in the Indo-Pacific region, for positive and sustainable impact in the region and beyond.
Our regional programme for Southeast Asia provides vital technical assistance in diverse areas, from capacity-building for border management authorities to fortifying the resilience of criminal justice institutions against corruption and organized crime, and more.
UNODC is also Secretariat to the Mekong Memorandum of Understanding on Drug Control, a vital regional framework that unites six countries in East and Southeast Asia, working together to stem the flow of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals.
Our Office has assisted thousands of opium farming families in switching to alternative, licit farming activities between 2014 and 2021.
We have also conducted over 2,600 capacity-building activities to support border management officials in their efforts against trafficking networks.
In addition, we are confronting new and emerging threats in the region.
Through our Global Programme on Cybercrime, funded by the generous support of several G7 countries, UNODC is supporting ASEAN members in promoting international legal cooperation, facilitating public-private partnerships, and safeguarding the internet from illicit activities.
And we are helping countries in the region defend against crimes that affect the environment, including through our Law Enforcement Assistance Programme to Reduce Tropical Deforestation.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am hopeful and confident that you will seize the opportunity presented by this meeting to enhance cooperation between the ASEAN countries and the G7 in the field of law and justice.
I also hope that this meeting will place a focus on people-centered and sustainable justice rooted in human rights, and on the roles of women, youth, and all members of society in promoting the rule of law.
Prosperity and security are built on a foundation of human dignity, and we must ensure that every member of society is respected, protected, and able to enjoy their full rights, to the benefit of everyone.
UNODC is your partner in building bridges, facilitating exchange, and building fair, inclusive, and prosperous societies.
Thank you.