TRANSNATIONAL CRIME AND DRUG CONTROL MAIN CONCERNS AT THIRD COMMITTEE MEETING

Press Release
GA/SHC/3529

TRANSNATIONAL CRIME AND DRUG CONTROL MAIN CONCERNS AT THIRD COMMITTEE MEETING

Since the expansion of transnational crime was one of most dangerous threats confronting humanity in the next millennium, strategies needed to be adapted to prevent transnational criminals from circumventing the law, the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs told the Third Committee this afternoon, as it met to continue considering issues related to crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.

The United Nations offered the most powerful defence against the evolving threats of transnational crime, he continued. International cooperation would lead to identifying and dismantling of criminal syndicates, the prosecution of criminal leaders, the seizing of criminal assets and the development of ways to counter crime networks.

Speaking on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the representative of Thailand said an all-out effort was needed to tackle the drug problem. The demand and supply sides were mutually reinforcing. They had to be addressed in a simultaneous, balanced manner with strong follow-up.

The representative of Azerbaijan said his country’s location at the junction of Europe and Asia made it an attractive route for massive drug transfer. Organized criminal groups were collaborating with the same types of groups in Central Asia, in the newly-independent states, in the Near East states. Those groups used sophisticated methods to transfer drugs. The country needed international assistance in its drug control efforts.

Countries were willing to collaborate in fighting the drug trade, but they were constrained by lack of information, said the representative of Nigeria. Countries with relevant information should be able to share it, especially on previously unknown trends in the production, distribution and consumption of drugs as well as money laundering practices.

The representative of the Russian Federation said international crime was so widespread it was a threat to nations and individuals. Criminal activity had to be tackled in a concerted manner that left no weak link in countering transnational organized crime and corruption. Universal cooperation should be underpinned by cooperation at the regional level.

Third Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/SHC/3529 15th Meeting (PM) 18 October 1999

A number of speakers referred to the death penalty as a measure to fight crime. The representative of China said countries were entitled to take necessary measures to punish perpetrators of serious crimes and one’s own values should not be imposed on others. The representative of Sudan said it was the sovereign right of any State to legislate in a manner that chimed with its religious and social beliefs. The representative of Egypt said consensus would be difficult to achieve on the issue of the death penalty.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Portugal, Nepal, Pakistan, Sudan, China, Ukraine, also on behalf of Moldova, Ecuador, Poland, Saudi Arabia, El Salvador on behalf of the Central American countries, Philippines, Egypt, Jamaica on behalf of CARICOM and Iraq.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 19 October, to continue considering issues related to crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), met this afternoon to continue considering questions related to crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control. (For background information, see press release GA/SHC/3527 of 15 October.)

The Committee has before it the report of the Economic and Social Council for 1999 (document A/54/3). The report states that 1999 was a signal year for the Council both substantively and symbolically. It had conducted oversight, given guidance to subsidiary bodies and substantially increased interrelationship with the Bretton Woods institutions. It had also achieved effective decision-making on a wide range of policy issues and, for the first time in many years, the Council had completed consideration during the session of all substantive issues on its agenda.

There were a number of chief events for the Council during the year, the report continues. Foremost was the deepening of the interaction with the Bretton Woods institutions by a visit of the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors to the Council in February; a high-level meeting of the Council with the Bretton Woods institutions in April; a visit by Council Ambassadors to Washington in May; and a planned visit of the International Monetary Fund’s Executive Board to New York in October. Those activities were a testament to cooperation in achieving development for all humankind, most especially by efforts to eradicate poverty, the report notes.

The report outlines the resolutions and decisions adopted during the year by the Council with regard to coordination and organizational matters. One of those, related to an integrated implementation and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, focused on the role of employment and work in poverty eradication; operational activities, in particular poverty eradication and capacity-building; and coordination of initiatives on African development. Other resolutions and decisions, concerned such issues as non-governmental organizations (NGOs); sustainable development; disaster reduction; advancement of women; social development; crime prevention and criminal justice; narcotic drugs; and human rights, in particular with respect to racism and related intolerance, and with the situation of human rights in Afghanistan; Burundi; Iran; Iraq; Sudan; Myanmar; the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Equatorial Guinea; Rwanda; Congo; and Haiti.

The report details the high-level meeting of the Council with the Bretton Woods institutions held on 29 April, as well as the high-level segment held from 5 to 7 July on the role of employment and work in poverty eradication and the empowerment and advancement of women. It describes operational activities of the United Nations for international development; initiatives on African development considered during the coordination segment; and activities of the humanitarian affairs segment.

In addition to that report, the Committee has before it five draft resolutions related to crime, criminal justice and international drug control. These resolutions were proposed by the Economic and Social Council for adoption by the General Assembly.

By terms of a draft on the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (document A/C.3/54/L.3), the Assembly would decide that the high-level segment of the Tenth Congress would be held on 14 and 15 April 2000. The Assembly would further decide that the Congress devote particular attention to ways and means of making operational the provisions of the United Nations convention against transnational organized crime, especially taking into account the needs of developing countries in the area of capacity-building. It would request the Congress to submit its declaration to the Millennium Assembly through the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the Economic and Social Council, requesting the Secretary-General to appoint a Secretary-General and an Executive Secretary of the Tenth Congress.

A resolution on the Draft United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the draft protocols thereto (document A/C.3/54/L.4) would have the Assembly take note of results achieved by the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of a Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the draft protocols addressing the issues of trafficking in women and children, illicit firearms and illegal trafficking in migrants. The Assembly would decide that the international instrument being prepared by the Ad Hoc Committee addressing trafficking in women and children should address trafficking in all persons but especially women and children. It would also decide that the Ad Hoc Committee would be convened in 2000, holding no fewer than four sessions of two weeks each, and it would decide to convene a conference of plenipotentiaries in 2000 with the objective of finalizing and adopting the Convention and the protocols thereto, opening them for signature at the Millennium Assembly.

By terms of a draft on the activities of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of a Convention against Transnational Organized Crime: Illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, as well as consideration of the need to develop an instrument on the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in explosives (document A/C.3/54/L.5), the Assembly would call upon States to consider adopting legislative or other measures to make it a criminal offence under domestic law to manufacture and traffic in illicit firearms, their components and ammunition, as well as in illicit explosives. The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to convene an expert group to prepare a study on those illicit firearms as related to use for criminal purposes, also requesting him to facilitate the participation of experts from developing countries by providing resources for their travel, either from existing or extrabudgetary resources.

A draft on action against corruption (document A/C.3/54/L.6) would have the Assembly stress the need to develop a global strategy to strengthen international cooperation aimed at preventing and punishing corruption. The strategy would focus on encouraging Member States to participate in relevant international conventions and other instruments aimed at fighting corruption; inviting them to participate in conferences and other international efforts against corruption; and inviting consideration of developing a global system of peer review for determining the adequacy of practices aimed at combating corruption. The Assembly would direct the Ad Hoc Committee on the Elaboration of a Convention against Transnational Organized Crim to incorporate into the draft Convention, measures against corruption linked to organized crime, including provisions regarding sanctioning of corrupt actions involving public officials.

Further, the Assembly would request the Ad Hoc Committee to explore the desirability of an international instrument against corruption and to present its views to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, the Assembly would request that it continue to revise the manual on practical measures against corruption; continue to develop a global programme of technical assistance to fight corruption; and explore ways to convince underregulated financial centres to adopt rules enabling them to deal with organized crime and corruption, particularly in relation to financial crime.

A draft on an action plan for implementing the Declaration on Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction (document A/C.3/54/L.7), would have the Assembly adopt that action plan. An annex contains the text of the action plan, which centres on measures to assess the problem and tackle it by forging partnerships, focusing on special needs, sending the right message and building on experience.

Finally, the Committee is expected to hear the introduction of a five-power draft on implementing the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons: towards a society for all in the twenty-first century (document A/C.3/54/L.9; see press release GA/SHC/3528 of 15 October for summary). Inter alia, by terms of the draft, the Assembly would urge Governments to cooperate with the United Nations Statistics Division in continuing to develop global statistics and indicators on disability.

Statements

VLADIMIR TARABRIN (Russian Federation) said international crime had become so widespread it was a threat to nations and individuals. It was necessary to combat criminal activity in a concerted manner that left no weak link. Practical measures calling for coordination to combat crimes such as transnational organized crime and corruption were most important. Universal cooperation should be underpinned by cooperation at the regional level, as by the measures that the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) had undertaken. On 19 October in Moscow, a conference of industrialized countries (G-8) on combating organized crime would open. Of first concern would be financial crime, crime in the field of high technology and terrorism.

The Russian Federation had taken many steps at the regional level, as well as through bilateral arrangements for cooperation, he said. Corruption and money laundering were among the most serious problems facing the modern age. They were not just Russian problems, as Mr. Arlachi, the Executive Director of the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, had pointed out. The Russian Federation was party to all international legal instruments to combat illicit drugs. There should be the fullest and earliest implementation of all documents that had derived from the General Assembly’s special session on drugs. An agreement between his country and the United Nations had been signed this year for technical assistance in fighting drugs and crime, after a visit by Mr. Arlachi. Money should be directed from the United Nations regular budget for such purposes.

ASDA JAYANAMA (Thailand), speaking on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), said worldwide illicit consumption of opiates amounted to approximately 380 tonnes, or 150 tonnes more than used for legitimate medical consumption. Of particular concern to Southeast Asia was the outbreak of amphetamine-type stimulants, or ATS, which was a relatively new front in the war that drugs were waging on the world’s population, especially the young generation. Thirty million people, or about 0.5 per cent of the world’s population, were estimated to be abusing ATS.

An all-out effort tackling the drug problem in all aspects was needed to win the war against drugs, he said. Because they were mutually reinforcing, both the demand and supply sides of the drug problem had to be addressed in a simultaneous, balanced manner with strong follow-up. The ASEAN had adopted both preventive and curative measures. Among the former were such actions as raising awareness, education and the strengthening of the family institutions. The Asian financial crisis of the past two years had placed extreme pressures on the family and on society in Southeast Asia. That had made it easier for drugs to make inroads into homes. The ASEAN continued to take serious and sustained measures to eradicate the supply and trans-shipment of drugs in its region. It had been intensifying efforts to implement curative measures, such as by providing treatment for drug abusers and suppressing criminal activities related to illegal drugs.

Money laundering was a major component of the transnational drug industry and one reason why the industry showed little signs of being phased out, he concluded. The ASEAN had committed itself to fighting money laundering with effective national measures and regional cooperation. By 2003, national money laundering legislation and programmes would be in place. No country or group of countries could undertake on the war against drugs by itself. The eradication of illicit drugs from streets and homes required joint commitment and joint action within a nation and at the regional and international levels. The international community could support ASEAN in its war on drugs by providing funds, resources, expertise and experience.

ALEXANDRE ROSA (Portugal) said that drugs, and the whole illegal trade surrounding them, gave rise to the main networks of organized crime. The adoption of the Declaration on Guiding Principles of Drug Demand Reduction would be a serious step forward. While we could not afford any let-up in the fight against drug trafficking, that point of view rested on the need for a more pragmatic approach which encouraged all those involved to outline appropriate strategies which would achieve significant reductions in levels of drug use and successfully combat the effects of addiction on both the individual and on society as a whole.

Portugal had an integrated and balanced national strategy for the fight against drugs. Firm commitments were made to prevention as a fundamental measure to restrict the entry of new users in the world of drugs, and to the treatment and social reintegration of addicts. While prevention and treatment were of fundamental importance, the strategy paid particular attention to the development of harm reduction programmes, which aimed to control and minimize the damage caused by drug addiction both to the individual and to society. International cooperation should be specially emphasized as well; that would not only lead to closer ties and greater mutual trust, but would also enable the international community to evaluate its anti-drug policies and to adjust them to the true nature of the problem.

BHARAT KUMAR REGMI (Nepal) said that the production and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and their illicit trafficking had adversely affected peace and security and threatened human life. Nepal was fully committed to deal effectively with the problem of drug abuse and trafficking. It had formulated a national drug control policy and a national drug demand reduction strategy. The dissemination of information about the hazards of the use of drugs had been widened. Treatment and rehabilitation facilities had also been strengthened.

He said that Nepal has also been working with other members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in enhancing drug control activities. The role of non-governmental organizations and civil society was crucial in activities against drug abuse and trafficking. Their activities through rehabilitation centres as well as counselling services for the families of addicted people had been of significant assistance. The role of the community leaders in the creating awareness had been of tremendous value in implementing relevant programmes.

MUNAWAR SAEED BHATTI (Pakistan) said the illegal drug trade constituted about eight per cent of total world trade. That was larger than trade in motor vehicles or in iron or steel. The International Monetary Fund had estimated that the associated phenomenon of money laundering constituted two to five per cent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The magnitude and global reach of the drug problem called for global approaches and a coordinated response from the international community to counter the menace.

He said the special session of the General Assembly in June had shown the collective resolve of the international community to tackle the world drug problem in a comprehensive and balanced manner that put equal emphasis on demand reduction and supply control. Alternative development was the lasting solution in eradicating illicit crops in source countries. It reduced the economic dependence of farmers on the cultivation of illicit crops, and helped integrate affected areas into the mainstream of national economies. Pakistan had seen very encouraging results from alternative development projects.

ILHAM IBRAHIM MOHAMED AHMED (Sudan) said attacking the problem of illicit drugs was a joint responsibility. Within the boundaries of respect for the territorial integrity of States, both national and international measures had to be taken. The money laundering associated with illicit drugs was used to fuel illegal arms that were used to threaten legitimate governments. Being in a region that was a route for drug traffickers, Sudan had instituted many measures to counter the problem, including the application of capital punishment.

The issue of capital punishment was a matter of concern within the context of crime prevention and criminal justice, she said. With regard to that and to a draft being circulated by some governments, it was important to set out her country’s view on the matter. It was the sovereign right of any State to legislate in a manner that chimed with its religious and social beliefs. Sudan respected the right of any State to choose its legal system. Sudan expected others to reciprocate with respect. In light of the draft resolution, Sudan’s position was the following: capital punishment was an issue on which international agreement had so far remained elusive.

DIAO MINGSHENG (China) said transnational organized crime was seriously endangering political stability and economic development. In order to strengthen and expand international cooperation in crime prevention and criminal justice, serious attention should be paid to the preparation for and active participation in the Tenth Congress on Crime Prevention and Treatment of Offenders to be held next year. More attention should also be paid to the elaboration of the draft International Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the three additional protocols, and to the United Nations central role in coordinating the fight against transnational organized crime.

In line with its domestic legislation and actual conditions, all countries were entitled to take necessary measures to punish perpetrators of serious crimes, he said. Due to differences in social systems, economic development levels and historical and cultural backgrounds, it was natural that countries differed on the issue of the death penalty, but that should not be an obstacle to international cooperation in the fight against crimes. China opposed imposing one’s own value on others and forcing other countries to amend their domestic legislation.

VOLODYMYR KROKHMAL (Ukraine), speaking also on behalf of Moldova, said that organized crime and illicit drug trafficking were among the most dangerous challenges and serious global problems of the modern world. National action remained paramount, but a commitment to work at bilateral, regional and global levels with the full engagement of the United Nations system was of great importance to the national endeavours. The challenge was to find practical ways of making international institutions adequately fulfil the expectations of governments in building global and regional partnership against international crime.

His Government had made combating crime and corruption priorities of its national policy, he said. The law enforcement agencies of Ukraine promoted implementation of effective crime prevention strategies, focusing on situational crime prevention and opportunity reduction. The scale and scope of combating organized crime in Ukraine and Moldova reflected the need to eliminate the negative impact of crime and corruption on development of the national economy. Law enforcement agencies had made substantial efforts to counteract crime and illicit drugs: during the last two years, the transit of 850 kilograms of cocaine and heroin and six tonnes of cannabis was prevented.

RAND BEERS, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, said the expansion of transnational crime was one of the most dangerous threats confronting humanity in the next millennium. Transnational criminals were constantly seeking ways to circumvent law and order. Strategies had to be adapted to prevent them from doing so. The United Nations offered a most powerful defence against the evolving threats of transnational crime: the international cooperation that led to the identification and dismantling of criminal syndicates, the prosecution and imprisonment of criminal leaders, the freezing and seizing of criminal assets and the development of ways to counter crime networks. The same tool of international cooperation worked against both drugs and crime.

He said it was essential for the proposed United Nations convention against transnational organized crime and its protocols to be completed by 2000 so they could be implemented. Domestic programmes in every nation had to be the cornerstone of internatioal cooperation. His country’s strategy focused on cutting drug use in half over the next decade, strengthening law enforcement efforts and targeting international sources of supply. His country had dramatically increased its contribution to over $25 million to the United Nations Drug Control Programme because it was so effective, and the United States’ contribution to the United Nations Centre for International Crime Prevention had been increased to approximately $1 million, a 40 per cent increase over 1998.

Outlining United States cooperation in drug control in regions of the world, he said it was vital to deny drug organizations raw materials. Also, targeting drug traffickers' infrastructure was meaningless without denying them their profits and safe havens. All nations had to adopt legislation to freeze and seize assets as well as remove barriers such as bank secrecy. Activist diplomacy would create new international standards. That, mixed with assessments, training and assistance, would pressure jurisdictions that were licensing their financial sectors to criminals, terrorists and looters. “We need to detect laundered funds and promote greater transparency and stability”, he said.

MONICA MARTINEZ (Ecuador) said her country’s plan for control of illicit drugs had a balanced approach. Solutions to the problem of illicit drugs were not the responsibility of officials alone, but of all those involved in development of society.

Control of drugs was dependent to a large extent on demand reduction, she said. The youths who had met for their Summit last year in Portugal had committed themselves to being drug free. Education was a priority for assisting them in that goal.

ELDAR KOULIEV (Azerbaijan) said “uncivil society” threatened national security and the institution of the state. Strong political will as well as enhanced global and regional cooperation was necessary to overcome that growing danger. Located at the junction of Europe and Asia, Azerbaijan was considered an attractive route for massive drug transfer. That situation was aggravated by the continuous occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan by the Republic of Armenia. As a result, a 132 kilometre section of the Azerbaijan/Iran border was out of control of law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, the climate was encouraging for cultivation of drug-containing plants on spots that were beyond the national and international monitoring.

Regional cooperation was a necessary and efficient tool to combat illicit drug trafficking. A large number of foreign citizens involved in drug business had been caught in Azerbaijan in recent years. A number of organized criminal groups, operating in close collaboration with the same type of groups in Central Asia, the newly-independent states and the Near East states had been increasing. They used new and more sophisticated methods to transfer drugs. For the successful completion of its national plan for drug control, the country needed assistance by the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), other relevant international bodies and donor countries, he said.

ZBIGNIEW MATUSZEWSKI (Poland) said that in the battle against transnational organized crime, fresh resources had to be mobilized and, perhaps, some elements of the strategy hitherto employed needed to be thought over. In the context of the proposed convention against transnational organized crime, a major issue was the elaboration of a definition of organized crime. An approach aimed at specifying the elements of such a crime, rather than one based on exemplification would be preferable, since it would be more difficult to cover new types of crimes with the latter. Since Poland had initiated the proposed convention, it was ready to host a high level conference in Warsaw for the signing of the convention and its protocols.

That the situation in Poland concerning drug abuse had remained stable, was no reason for complacency, he said. The authorities had been confronted with illicit production of amphetamine, mainly for foreign consumption. In 1998, four amphetamine laboratories were uncovered and 50 kilograms of amphetamine was seized. The smuggling of drugs into Poland was a serious concern. The problem lay not only in cutting off illegal supplies to Poland, but also in preventing the Polish territory from being used as part of the illegal drug traffic route, originating in Asia with a final destination in Western Europe.

NAIF BIN BANDAR AL-SUDAIRY (Saudi Arabia) said he shared the concern of others over the drug problem that was the scourge of the modern world. International cooperation was needed to fight it at every level from diversion of substances to stricter control of drugs and their precursors. It was lack of adequate international controls that allowed money laundering to thrive, he said. Activities such as the drug trade and organized crime destabilized states. Transit and distribution points needed to be identified as a collective responsibility. Drugs should not be legalized as that went against Islamic custom and against the dignity of humanity. Effective control of drugs was critical.

CARLOS ENRIQUE GARCIA GONZALEZ (El Salvador), speaking on behalf of the Central American countries, said that commitment to implementing the results of the twentieth special session of the General Assembly was important. It has been successful in unifying an international approach towards the international drug problem, which affected particularly the youth in our society. Shared responsibilities was one of the main tools for a solution to that problem. Unification contributed towards a common framework in combating the global problem, recognizing the interdependence of production, trafficking and consumption.

The Central American countries had signed several treaties concerning the fight against drugs and money laundering. Efforts made by the Central American Security Commission in that respect needed mention as well. The Central American countries also supported the work of the UNDCP. That body was promoting concerted international action for control of drug abuse and was providing training to fight the drug scourge. International efforts required as a counterpart a greater degree of civil awareness; in schools, churches and trade unions. A move to bring shared responsibilities to a lower, local level was necessary, he said.

ERICO AUMENTADO, Congressman, House of Representatives of the Philippines, said a major challenge was to address crime prevention needs from a multisectoral, interdisciplinary perspective. The Philippines crime prevention strategy was based on the view that situational or victim-oriented crime control needed to be strengthened, for cost-effectiveness and for long-term implications. Policies, strategies, programmes and activities of all pillars of the criminal justice system should constitute a concerted effort.

He said his country took special interest in the role of the community in effective crime prevention, as well as in the special needs and circumstances of women in the criminal justice system. Violence against women figured prominently in the country’s crime prevention programme. In addition, Filipino women and children comprised a majority of migrants who were vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination. Special attention was being given to illegal recruitment and illicit trafficking in persons, an activity becoming increasingly organized. Also increasing were other forms of migration such as mail order bride schemes and illegal adoption of children by foreigners. The Government had initiated bilateral and regional cooperation mechanisms to protect its migrant workers.

AHMED ABOUL GHEIT (Egypt) said that in his country great attention was paid to the problems of drug production and trafficking. There were also enhanced efforts to combat money laundering. At the end of 1996 adopted crime prevention and drug control was declared as a priority of the United Nations. That step reflected the realization of Member States of the increasing challenges imposed by organized crime. International cooperation to combat those crimes had become necessary. Egypt looked forward to the Tenth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in Vienna. It would give a strong push to the international efforts towards combating international crime.

Another part of crime prevention was criminal justice, which also included the establishment of penalties, commensurate with the criminal acts. The European Union was raising the question of abolishing the death penalty. It was regrettable that the European Union had once again raised that issue before the United Nations General Assembly, in spite of its awareness of existing controversy. Consensus would therefore be difficult to achieve. The European Union should be keen enough to protect that consensus. Moreover, the behaviour of the European Union raised many questions on the importance of absorbing, understanding and accepting the differences in value systems between countries and cultures. He hoped that the European Union would reconsider its position regarding that issue.

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), speaking on behalf of Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said CARICOM countries were situated between centres of production and centres of demand for illicit substances. The balanced approach of viewing demand reduction and supply reduction as mutually reinforcing was welcome.

The action plan on reducing drug demand that had been adopted by the Economic and Social Council provided a comprehensive approach, she said. It reflected commitments agreed to at the General Assembly special session and involved all sectors of society, in particular, youth. It fostered linkages between areas such as health, education, housing, law enforcement and crime prevention. The CARICOM supported such an approach because the surge in drug trafficking could not be successfully tackled if divorced from attendant issues such as unemployment, poverty eradication and social integration.

Drug-associated crime was an area of major concern to CARICOM, she said. The links between trafficking in small arms and ammunition, money laundering and corruption posed severe challenges for the fragile societies of the area. Countries involved in producing and exporting small arms should carefully monitor the export of those products and reduce illegal gun smuggling. The CARICOM also supported efforts to combat transnational organized crime, supporting the formulation of a multilateral approach. With regard to cooperative measures in which international financial institutions gave lending priority to programmes addressing the illegal drug problem, that would require the application of accurate methods and standards in gathering information.

O.O. ONOVO (Nigeria) said that illicit drugs were a global menace that affected developed and developing countries alike. Whereas most countries were willing to collaborate in fighting the drug trade, they were constrained by lack of information. Countries with relevant information should be able to share it, especially on previously unknown trends in the production, distribution and consumption of drugs as well as on money laundering practices. Nigeria had discovered bizarre modes of drug concealment and complex trafficking routes, which it would share with all those countries that might be affected.

Fraudulent financial practices made foreign investors apprehensive and distrustful of a country’s financial system, as the potentially destructive effects could lay waste to an entire economy. Nigeria had hosted the Second West African Fraud Meeting in Abuja in 1999 and also had plans to host an international conference against corruption and fraud. Trafficking in human beings was another transnational crime that had raised serious attention in Nigeria. Possible modalities were being explored to eliminate illegal emigration, especially of women and children, he said.

MOHAMMED AL-HUMAIMIDI (Iraq) said his country was committed to fighting the scourge of drugs. National legislation had made Iraq one of the few countries of the world free from production, trafficking and addition of illicit drugs. There were no illicit crops or precursors, indicating his Government’s measures for controlling drugs were sound.

Even so, he said, despite Iraq’s diligence, some abnormal circumstances had sprung up in the north. There were activities such as the growing of the coca crop and the transport of drugs. Iraq was developing special programmes to counter the problem. However, the sanctions against the country were a serious hindrance. They had prevented Iraq’s participation in international forums. Nevertheless, Iraq was committed to helping stamp out the scourge of drugs in both consuming and producing countries.

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