Director-General/Executive Director
Your Excellency Mr. Al-Raisi,
Your Excellency Mr. Sobotka,
Executive Director Kavanagh,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am honoured to join you today in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of INTERPOL, an important organization and a valuable partner for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in our efforts to make the world a safer place.
I must begin by congratulating INTERPOL on this historic milestone. Few organizations can boast such a rich history, and this endurance speaks volumes of its contribution to global security and the rule of law.
I must also congratulate Secretary General Stock on his remarkable leadership over the past 9 years.
Unfortunately, he could not join us today, but I wish him well and continued success in his role.
Excellencies,
As we celebrate INTERPOL’s centenary, we must reflect on the broader context in which the organization operates, and the pivotal moment facing our world.
The Sustainable Development Goals are widely off-track and in need of rescuing.
Next week in New York, world leaders will be gathering for the SDG Summit, where they will seek new solutions to reinvigorate the SDGs and steer us toward Agenda 2030.
We face an uphill battle.
The COVID-19 pandemic derailed many of the hard-earned gains of the past decade, while conflict, polarization, and the climate emergency continue to pull our world further away from our aspirations and closer towards economic, social, and natural catastrophes.
People and communities across the globe are caught up in whirlwinds of vulnerability and despair.
Against this backdrop, those who operate outside the law sense opportunities to thrive, profit, and exploit.
Aided by new technologies, transnational criminal networks are operating with unprecedented speed and reach, taking advantage of every breakdown in order and trust, and feeding into the cycle of suffering and destruction.
The world’s response must be swift, agile, and coordinated.
The rule of law is the first line of defense and the last safety net in our fight for the Sustainable Development Goals.
The SDGs are rooted in the idea that we cannot achieve lasting peace and prosperity without addressing the root causes of injustice, inequality, and insecurity.
Without security and the rule of law, peace remains elusive and development falters.
INTERPOL’s mission to bridge law enforcement efforts across borders is integral to the rule of law in an interconnected world, and it is central to the vision of the SDGs.
It is also a mission that enables and complements UNODC’s work as the guardian of the UN conventions against transnational organized crime and corruption.
As UNODC works on the ground with various criminal justice institutions around the world to equip them with the tools and capacities they need, INTERPOL provides police authorities with a vital network to coordinate their efforts.
Allow me to highlight some examples of the impact we have achieved through collaborative action.
Just last month, we renewed a joint initiative, Project Turquesa, aimed at combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking in the Americas.
The initiative’s first phase was instrumental in opening 270 new investigations, leading to over 700 arrests and the identification of thousands of victims.
We have made important contributions to protecting the environment through our Law Enforcement Assistance Programme – LEAP, which led to 300 arrests and over 1,000 seizures of illegal timber in 2022, and we are expanding this work across Latin America and Southeast Asia.
During the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice earlier this year, we jointly launched the CATCH initiative, to combat trafficking in cultural property in the Mediterranean.
These initiatives speak to the power of our collaboration and trust.
UNDOC is also actively addressing emerging security threats through our Global Programme on Cybercrime, working with digital forensic experts to harness the power of AI in investigations, while safeguarding human rights and ethics.
This is another area where we can synergize with INTERPOL to leverage our complementary mandates.
UN Member States have recognized the need to respond to evolving criminal activities in the digital sphere, and are currently negotiating a new convention to counter the use of ICTs for criminal purposes.
100 years on, new threats are still emerging that require us to step up our collaboration, in the pursuit of peace, security, and development.
Excellencies,
A key element in achieving the SDGs is the inclusion and empowerment of women.
Today we mark the first International Day of Police Cooperation, and I’m happy to note that the day’s theme recognizes the vital role of women in policing.
Women in policing can contribute significantly to building safer communities and fostering trust, through better prevention, investigations, and human rights compliance.
However, UNODC data collected from 52 countries shows that the representation of women in this sector is lower than that of men in every single case, and in some cases is as low as 5%.
This is simply too low.
We can and must do better, for safer and fairer societies, and UNODC is committed to working with INTERPOL and all partners to achieve more inclusive and gender sensitive police systems.
Ladies and gentlemen,
As we reflect on INTERPOL’s achievements, let us embrace the enduring value of multilateralism and reaffirm our commitment to the SDGs, recognizing that peace, security, and development are interconnected and inseparable.
Together, we can uphold the rule of law, protect the vulnerable, and forge a safer world for all.
Thank you and congratulations once again on this milestone.