OVERVIEW AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Within UNODC, the overall substantive and implementation responsibilities and functions relating to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto are vested with the Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch (OCB) in the Division for Treaty Affairs (DTA).
OCB supports States in their efforts to ratify and effectively implement the Convention and the three Protocols Thereto, in order to strengthen their response to transnational organized crime, as outlined under Thematic Area 2 “Preventing and countering organized crime” of the UNODC Strategy (2021-2025).
The support is provided by the OCB Front Office and the four dedicated sections, the Conference Support Section (CSS), the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section (HTMSS), the Firearms Trafficking Section (FTS) and the Cybercrime and Money Laundering Section (CMLS), delivering a broad range of services, including through dedicated Global Programmes as main vehicles for technical assistance.
Technical assistance focused on border management in regard to illicit trafficking is provided by the UNODC Border Management Branch, in coordination and cooperation with OCB.
The overall UNODC organizational chart is available here.
MANDATES AND SERVICES
1) Secretariat of the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies
OCB, on behalf of UNODC, serves as the Secretariat of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the main decision-making body established under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and its subsidiary bodies, the five Working Groups. Among other substantive and technical services, UNODC assists the bureau of the COP in the performance of its functions; prepares background papers; receives, translates and distributes documents, reports and decisions; proposing agenda items and organizing panel discussions for the meetings of the subsidiary bodies; and has the custody and proper preservation of the documents in the archives.
2) Supporting the Mechanism for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention and the Protocols Thereto
OCB, on behalf of UNODC, is also the Secretariat of the Review Mechanism, the mandatory peer-review process for all Parties to the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto aimed at assessing their compliance with the provisions of these international instruments. UNODC facilitates the conduct of the country reviews and general review in line with the Procedures and rules for the functioning of the Review Mechanism, assists States parties in the preparation of the list of observations, indicating any gaps and challenges in the implementation of the provisions under review, best practices, suggestions and any technical assistance needs identified to improve the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols and facilitates the discussion of the review process in the Conference, the Working Groups the constructive dialogues with relevant stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations.
3) Secretariat to the Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes
OCB, on behalf of UNODC, also serves as Secretariat of the Ad Hoc Committee. More information on the mandate and role is available here.
4) Delivering Technical Assistance and developing knowledge products and tools
UNODC provides tailored technical assistance to States in support of the implementation of the Convention and the Protocols Thereto. It is delivered in different forms, tailored to best meet the needs of the counterparts, and includes:
• Legislative assistance
• Assistance in the development of policies and strategies
• Capacity building workshops/trainings
• Mentoring
• Supporting international cooperation in criminal matters and competent national authorities
• Facilitation of bilateral, regional, inter-regional and South-South exchange, and
• Research, analysis and the development of knowledge products.
Substantively, the assistance covers a broad range of transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking topics, including cybercrime, money-laundering and countering the financing of terrorism as well as new and emerging crimes in the context of organized crime. Information in regard to some of the major areas of work, is provided on the dedicated webpages of the OCB Sections and Global Programmes: Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling, Firearms Trafficking, Money-Laundering, and Cybercrime.
CONTACT US
Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch
Division for Treaty Affairs
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Wagramer Strasse 5
A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43(1) 26060-4460
E-mail: untoc.cop@un.org