Sixty-first General Assembly

Third Committee

5^th Meeting (PM)

Criminal involvement by transnational, non-state actors poses major threat

to international security, third committee told

 

Human Trafficking, Smuggling of Migrants, Corruption, Drug-Related Violence

Highlighted as Debate Begins on Crime Prevention, International Drug Control

The threat posed by transnational and non-State actors involved in drugs and crime was one of the greatest challenges to international security and peace, an official from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as it began its debate on crime prevention and criminal justice and international drug control.

Jean-Paul Laborde, Chief of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of UNODC, said that the scale of the problem was obvious, as hardly a day went by without another news story about the smuggling of migrants, human trafficking, organized crime, corruption or violence connected with drug trafficking.  Networks involved in drugs, crime and terrorism were exploiting globalization, threatening State sovereignty and endangering security.

Criminals could sleep soundly in their beds, unless Member States sent an unmistakeable signal that they would do what they pledged, he continued.  He urged States to become parties to and implement without delay the Conventions on Organized Crime and on Corruption.  He urged Member States to use upcoming meetings on the Organized Crime Convention and the Corruption Convention to strengthen the treaties’ peer review functions.

UNODC was increasingly looking at drugs and crime in a broader context, including through studies on crime and development in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, he said.  UNODC had offered its expertise in responding to drugs, crime and corruption to support peacekeeping and peacebuilding interventions in countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the agency might soon get involved in Iraq and the Sudan.  Greater regional cooperation was needed as, by definition, the trafficking of drugs, guns and people involved more than one State.  He highlighted regional initiatives undertaken by the UNODC in the Gulf States, Central Asia, West and Central Africa, and East Asia.

The agency was moving towards a more integrated approach to making the world safer from drugs, crime and terrorism, but it needed stable and predictable resources to meet rising demands and expectations, he said.

Several delegations expressed support for the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by the General Assembly on 8 September.  Finland’s representative, speaking on behalf of the European Union, welcomed the fact that human rights and the rule of law were essential components of the Strategy, noting that it was imperative for all measures against terrorism to comply with international law.

The representative of Egypt also welcomed the Strategy for going beyond the traditional treatment of terrorism only as a security issue and its attempt to address the root causes of terrorism.  However, the Strategy was only the beginning of a long road, she said, adding that international efforts to tackle terrorism must bear in mind the interests of all States without discrimination against civilizations and religions.

Pakistan’s representative noted that, while the Strategy represented an important step, it needed to be enlarged and adapted further to address the underlying causes of terrorism, if it was to be successful.  Terrorism was one of the most serious challenges facing mankind, he said, adding that UNODC could play a more effective role in that area if it took into account political specificities of States and regions while helping them improve their legal structures.

Individual efforts were not enough, stressed the representative of Colombia, who called for greater international cooperation supported by the principle of shared responsibility.  While her country had made progress in reducing the production of illicit drugs, it required additional resources to curtail the activities of criminal organizations and violent groups.

The representative of the United States also noted some successes in Colombia, acting with the support of the international community, but warned that the battle against narco-terrorists was far from over.  He focused his remarks on the growing and increasingly dangerous link between drug trafficking and terrorism, which could be seen most clearly in Colombia and Afghanistan, but also was evident in other areas, including in Pakistan and Myanmar.  Afghanistan presented an even greater challenge than that in Colombia, he warned, and the strategic stakes there were high.  Seven of the nine key drug-producing areas in the world had armed insurgents linked to drug trafficking.

Zambia’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), noted that the negative effects of crime and drug abuse were devastating and remained a priority for Southern Africa.  While there had been significant progress regarding the development of partnerships and training programmes, continued international cooperation was needed to strengthen the capacity of national law enforcement agencies.  Particular challenges facing SADC included the illegal possession of firearms, violent crime, rape and the sexual abuse of women and children, of which there had been an unprecedented upsurge, he said.

More needed to be done to develop systems for the assessment of the problem of illicit drug abuse, and to provide comprehensive drug abuse prevention programmes and services for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers, he said.  SADC was mindful that drug trafficking and abuse posed a serious threat to society; a threat that disproportionately affected young people.  Noting SADC’s work to prevent drug abuse and drug trafficking, he said that the group’s goals could not be achieved without a stronger funding base.  He echoed the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report that measures against drugs and crime should be included as essential components of strategies to achieve sustained economic development.

The representatives of Belarus (on behalf of the Commonwealth of Independent States), the Sudan and Bangladesh also spoke.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 5 October, to continue its debate on crime prevention and criminal justice and international drug control.

Background

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met today to begin its general discussion of crime prevention and criminal justice and international drug control.

The Committee had before it a note by the Secretary-General (document A/61/96) transmitting the reports of the first and second sessions of Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, held in Vienna from 28 June to 8 July 2004 and from 10 to 21 October 2005 respectively.

Also before the Committee was the Secretary-General’s report on the African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (document A/61/135), which discusses the management of the Kampala-based Institute, international cooperation and partnerships with other agencies, and further opportunities for funding and support.  To enhance the Institute’s capacity, it suggests a pragmatic approach, promotion of an effective dialogue, networking and regional cooperation.

In addition, the Committee had before it the Secretary-General’s report on strengthening international cooperation and technical assistance in promoting the implementation of the universal conventions and protocols related to terrorism within the framework of the activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (document A/61/178), which reviews progress made by the UNODC in fulfilling its mandate.  Its role in delivering technical assistance is highlighted, including its place in the Secretary-General’s recommendations for the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, recently approved by the General Assembly.

The report describes how the UNODC’s counter-terrorism activities have grown significantly since 2003, and notes that a further expansion of its work will be necessary as more countries seek help in strengthening their legal regimes against terrorism.  To accomplish this, more money will be needed from the United Nations regular budget, which, since 2003, has allocated only $1 million per year for the core functions of the Terrorism Prevention Branch –- a sum complemented by a total of $11.6 million in donor contributions from 16 countries in the three and a half years to June 2006.

Before the Committee, too, was the Secretary-General’s report on strengthening the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, in particular its technical cooperation capacity (document A/61/179), which highlights the work of UNODC in crime prevention and criminal justice, especially its efforts to help States deal with transnational crime, corruption and terrorism.  It also proposes strengthening the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the governing body of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme.

It says that, over the past 10 years, the United Nations activities dealing with crime prevention and criminal justice have grown considerably, due in part to a growing recognition of the impact of crime and terrorism on security and development.  There have been major achievements, including the entry into force of the Organized Crime Convention and the Convention Against Corruption.

However, the report notes that universal ratification of instruments on transnational organized crime and on corruption and on the 13 universal instruments against terrorism remain a distant goal.  Fewer than 55 States have signed the Firearms Protocol to improve controls on the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms.  Much work remains to be done, too, in the prevention of terrorism, especially in folding international provisions into domestic law.  The report urges Member States to provide the UNODC with adequate resources so that it can fully implement its mandate.

The Committee had before it a letter dated 21 August 2006 from the Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/61/284) regarding the independence of judges and the judicial system of Uzbekistan.

The Committee also had before it a note by the Secretariat on strengthening the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme and the role of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice as its governing body (document A/C.3/61/L.2) and a note by the Secretariat on international cooperation in the prevention, combating and elimination of kidnapping and in providing assistance to victims (document A/C.3/61/L.2), which convey to the Committee the full texts of two draft resolutions adopted on 27 July 2006 by the Economic and Social Council to be transmitted to the General Assembly.

As well, the Committee had before it a letter dated 27 July 2006 from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (document A/61/208-S/2006/598) with the text of the Declaration adopted at the Second Ministerial Conference on Drug-Trafficking Routes from Afghanistan, held in Moscow from 26 to 28 June 2006.

The Committee also had before it the Secretary-General’s report on international cooperation against the world drug problem (document A/61/221), an overview of the implementation of mandates relating to international drug control.  It recommends that measures against drugs and crimes be part of development strategies, and States that have not already done so should fully implement conventions dealing with drug control, corruption, transnational organized crime and suppression of the financing of terrorism.  Member States should, meanwhile, be encouraged to make significant contributions to the UNODC drug control programme, which is facing a shortfall of funds for 2006 and 2007.

Statement by Executive Director of UNODC

JEAN-PAUL LABORDE, Chief of the Terrorism Prevention Branch of UNODC, spoke on behalf of the Office’s Executive Director, Antonio Maria Costa, who was unable to attend due to an urgent initiative on Afghanistan.  Taking stock of global efforts to control drugs and prevent crime, he noted that the situation was not good at all.  The threat posed by transnational and non-State actors involved in drugs and crime was one of the greatest challenges to international security and peace.  Hardly a day went by without another news story about the smuggling of migrants, human trafficking, organized crime, corruption, or violence connected with drug trafficking.  Networks involved in drugs, crime and terrorism were exploiting globalization, threatening State sovereignty and endangering security.

States, aware that they could not act alone, had adopted multilateral instruments to prevent crime and control drugs, he said.  However, such instruments were only as good as their implementation, and there was much room for improvement.  Criminals could sleep soundly in their beds unless Member States sent an unmistakeable signal that they would do what they pledged, he said.  The key point was the need to improve the coherence of efforts to contain multifarious and dispersed threats.  As was evident in Afghanistan, the mix of drugs, crime and terrorism could be explosive.  Containing such threats required a holistic approach.  One encouraging sign had come from the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by the General Assembly in September, which, among other things, underlined the need for States to become parties to, and implement, without delay the Conventions on Organized Crime and on Corruption.  He repeated the call for States to ratify those Conventions and related Protocols without delay.

However, he noted, ratification of the Conventions was only the first step.  Better implementation was needed, and States must do more to honour commitments made.  UNODC could help through providing legal and technical assistance, both at the national and regional levels.  Regarding monitoring and evaluation; while the UNODC aspired to be the world’s conscience on drug control and crime prevention, it was up to States to keep each other accountable.  He urged Member States to use upcoming meetings on the Organized Crime Convention and the Corruption Convention to strengthen the treaties’ peer review functions.

He noted that the information deficit on crime created a major gap in UNODC’s analysis work, but the Office had tried to fill the holes and, this year, had published the first ever report on global patterns in trafficking in persons.  The agency’s crop surveys, carried out with the Governments concerned, contained reliable information on the latest drug-cultivation and production figures, from Afghanistan’s opium to the cocaine of Andean countries.

UNODC was increasingly looking at drugs and crime in a broader context, including through studies on crime and development in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, he said.  The agency was also looking at crime and stability in the Balkans and affected countries.  Within the United Nations, the agency sought to contribute to joint efforts.  UNODC had offered its expertise in responding to drugs, crime and corruption to support peacekeeping and peacebuilding in countries such as Afghanistan, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and it might soon get involved in Iraq and the Sudan.  Greater regional cooperation was needed, as by definition, the trafficking of drugs, guns and people involved more than one State.  He highlighted regional initiatives undertaken by UNODC in the Gulf States, Central Asia, West and Central Africa, and East Asia.

He noted that UNODC was also paying attention to its own internal coherence and had finalized a strategy document that stressed the need for a more integrated approach to making the world safer from drugs, crime and terrorism.  In order to implement this strategy, the agency needed stable and predictable resources to meet rising demands and expectations.

Discussion

Responding to a representative’s question about the African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Mr. LABORDE said the Institute was one of the pillars of the United Nations efforts in crime prevention and criminal justice.  UNODC had worked in partnership with all such institutions, and it was paying close attention to cooperation with the Institute.

Fielding a question about intersectoral coordination in crime prevention and international drug control, he said the European Union was something of a laboratory of cooperation in that regard, with institutions such as Eurojust and Europol.  On the global level, however, with 192 States around the world, the stakes were greater.  In fact, international criminal organizations had no borders; borders used to protect States, but now, questions had been raised by the international nature of such organizations.  It was like a race between a bicycle and a Ferrari.  UNODC was addressing that issue.

Responding to a question about UNODC’s resources, he said that, in any undertaking, there were challenges in working with the resources available.  UNODC had adapted and tried to establish priorities.  It lacked the resources to respond to the actual levels of threat, but it tried to do its best dealing with the greatest threats while eliminating everything superfluous.  Sometimes, UNODC felt it was not loved enough, as some United Nations agencies had seen their resources increased.  That could be frustrating, despite good support from some donors.

Responding to a representative’s question about migration between Africa and Europe, he said the issue was not one of migration, but one of trafficking in persons.  UNODC’s contribution was to reduce the threat of such trafficking and to dismantle networks that trafficked in migrants.

On a possible lack of political will of States to fully address problems relating to crime and drugs, he said it was a matter for Member States to deem what was most useful.  It was no accident that, of the issues on which UNODC had worked in the past, drugs had gotten the most support, but then crime and terrorism had emerged more strongly in recent years.

Responding to a question from the representative of the Sudan, he said that when UNODC had been called upon by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, it had responded to its requests as a part of the Secretariat.  An exchange with the representative of the Sudan ensued, in which the representative said that, while the Committee was not the place to discuss a transfer of peacekeeping operations from the African Union to the United Nations -- a matter that had gone before the Security Council -- his country did not want to see UNODC used as a political tool against it.  The representative asked that references to the Sudan be deleted from the UNODC document.  Mr. LABORDE responded by saying that he would refer the question to his Executive Director and get back to the Sudanese delegation before the end of the current session.  The Chairman, meanwhile, said the Sudan’s concerns would be duly noted.

Statements

JARL-HÅKAN ROSENGREN ( Finland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said criminal activities posed a serious threat to the political, social and economic fabrics of society.  Prevention played a key role in the fight against crime, while victims of crime needed adequate support.  The European Union was providing technical assistance to third countries in the fields of crime prevention and criminal justice.  It believed that United Nations standards and norms had a significant role to play vis-à-vis crime prevention and criminal justice issues.  Transnational organized crime was a global problem that had to be addressed in a global manner, and the European Union called upon those States that had not yet ratified the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime to do so as soon as possible.

Trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants affected all parts of the world, and were becoming more widespread, he said.  Forceful joint efforts were needed to limit the number of people at risk in source countries, to deny criminals the use of transit countries and to eradicate the demand for trafficked persons in destination States.  Regarding terrorism, there was no cause or grievance that could justify terrorist acts.  The European Union welcomed the adoption by consensus of the first ever United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.  It was imperative for all measures against terrorism to comply with international law.  The European Union welcomed the fact that human rights and the rule of law had been essential to all components of the Strategy.  He said the European Union remained strongly committed to the international fight against illicit narcotics and drug trafficking.  Reduction of demand had to be an integral part of drug policy, balanced with reducing the supply of illicit drugs.  The year 2008 would be an opportune time for an extensive and open review of the implementation of commitments undertaken at the General Assembly’s special session on drugs, held in 1998.

TENS C. KAPOMA ( Zambia), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), noted that as drugs and crime had no boundaries, every State was vulnerable.  The negative effects of crime and drug abuse were devastating and remained a priority for southern Africa.  While there had been significant progress regarding the development of partnerships and training programmes, continued international cooperation was needed to strengthen the capacity of national law enforcement agencies.  Particular challenges facing SADC included the illegal possession of firearms, violent crime, rape and the sexual abuse of women and children, where there had been an unprecedented upsurge, he said.  He appreciated the strategic partnership approach with UNODC, African States and other institutions in the development of a programme of action designed to enhance efforts on the continent to fight crime, drugs and underdevelopment, and looked forward to the plan’s adoption and implementation by the African Union.

SADC warmly welcomed the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy recently adopted by the General Assembly and hoped that a convention on that issue would soon become a reality, he said.  The group also commended initiatives undertaken by the Global Programme Against Money Laundering and called for increased resource allocations and further support from Member States to ensure continued success.  More needed to be done to develop systems for the assessment of the problem of illicit drug abuse, and to provide comprehensive drug abuse prevention programmes and services for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug abusers.  SADC was mindful that drug trafficking and abuse posed a serious threat to society; a threat that disproportionately affected young people.  Noting SADC’s work to prevent drug abuse and drug trafficking, he said that the group’s goals could not be achieved without a stronger funding base.  He echoed the recommendations of the Secretary-General’s report that measures against drugs and crime should be included as essential components in strategies to achieve sustained economic development.

IGOR FISSENKO (Belarus), speaking on behalf of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), said he supported the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and action plans against terrorism that the General Assembly had adopted by consensus last year.  The strategy promoted dialogue, religious tolerance and strengthening Member States potential to combat terrorism.  Improving cooperation to counter terrorism was a high priority for CIS, and its members had conducted joint training of law enforcement agencies in preparation of terrorist threats and acts.  In September, in Armenia, it had devised a strategy to prevent and handle such threats on nuclear power stations.

He supported the efforts of UNODC to increase the number of States parties acceding to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols.  He also supported the UNODC report entitled “Trafficking in Persons: Global Patterns”, and said UNODC should continue to prepare periodic global reports and strengthen cooperation with regional and international organizations to counter trafficking in persons.  Belarus planned to introduce, on 6 October, a General Assembly draft resolution entitled “Improving coordination of efforts against slavery and trafficking in persons”.  He called on delegates to support that text.  The 2007-2010 CIS draft programme of action would facilitate implementation of the 2005 agreement on cooperation against trafficking in persons, human organs and tissues.

Ms. GENDI ( Egypt) noted that the launch of the current session had coincided with the launch of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which would help strengthen international solidarity in the fight against terrorism.  The Strategy went beyond the traditional treatment of terrorism by the Security Council as a security issue and attempted to address the root causes of terrorism.  There was a need for countries to find solutions to contemporary problems, including by ending situations of occupation, which spread violence.  States, also, must not engage in acts of terrorism.  The Strategy was the beginning of a long road.  There was a need to strengthen international cooperation to tackle terrorism, while bearing in mind the interests of all States without discrimination against civilizations and religions, she said.   Egypt was one of the first to draw attention to the universal nature of terrorism, and it had adopted a number of measures to fight terrorism.

Anti-crime efforts were also a priority, she said, noting that the State had implemented policies to guarantee security and stability.  Egypt was working to reduce the demand for drugs and strengthen efforts to control drug abuse, including by strengthening regional cooperation on those issues.  The scourge of illicit drugs undermined human capabilities and hindered development.  Her country supported efforts to eradicate the cultivation of illicit drugs and promote substitute crops, and it was willing to exchange its expertise with other countries in the region.  In conclusion, she highlighted the need to strengthen UNODC so it could fulfil its mandate.

THOMAS SCHWEICH ( United States) said that international crime and drugs posed an increasing threat to every country in the world.  International drug and crime groups were tenacious, sophisticated, well organized and well financed, and increasingly capable of mounting regional and worldwide operations.  He focused his remarks on one aspect of the threat:  the growing and increasingly dangerous link between drug trafficking and terrorism.  That linkage could be seen most clearly in Colombia and Afghanistan, but was also evident in other areas, including in Pakistan and Myanmar.  He noted that a concerted, long-term and resource-intensive effort in Colombia, with the support of the United States and others in the international community, had helped turn the tide, though the battle against narco-terrorists was far from over.

Afghanistan presented an even greater challenge, he warned, and the strategic stakes there were high.  The Afghan Government, with the support of the international community, was responding to the challenge with a multipillared campaign including efforts to prevent or eradicate poppy cultivation; interdict or disrupt trafficking operations; arrest, try and convict traffickers through special courts and prosecutors; and wean farmers away from poppy planting with alternative economic development.  He urged Member States to support those efforts through bilateral pledges or extrabudgetary support to UNODC.  While Colombia and Afghanistan were extreme cases, he noted that seven of the nine key drug-producing areas in the world had armed insurgents linked to drug trafficking.

He highlighted the important role of the United Nations drug control conventions in providing the essential legal framework for tackling the problem and urged Member States that had not done so to ratify the United Nations Convention on Organized Crime and its supplementary Protocols, adding that the United States Senate had recently consented to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

BILAL HAYEE ( Pakistan) said that the United Nations Conventions on Organized Crime and on Corruption provided a sufficient legal basis for joint international action against various aspects of organized crime.  Pakistan was a signatory to both those Conventions, and the ratification process was under way.  Member States needed to strengthen partnerships and pursue collaborative action against terrorism, drug control, organized crime and corruption.  In dealing with those complex challenges, he urged attention to the enormous impact of poverty in fomenting crime.  He highlighted steps Pakistan had taken to strengthen its criminal justice system, including through a $350 million access to justice programme, launched in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and aimed at reforming the judicial and prison systems and making the police more accountable.  The country’s National Accountability Bureau had achieved significant success in curbing high-level corruption, he said.

On the illicit drugs front, the Anti-Narcotics Force had played a critical role in turning Pakistan into a poppy-free country, and also had interdicted tons of heroin and other drugs meant for European and North American destinations.  Pakistan had also played a leading role in sensitizing the international community to the drug problem in its neighbourhood, he said.  Noting that terrorism was one of the most serious challenges facing mankind, he said UNODC could play a more effective role if it took into account political specificities of States and regions, while helping them improve their legal structures.  The adoption of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by the General Assembly was an important step, but that Strategy needed to be enlarged and adapted to address the underlying causes of terrorism, if it was to be successful.

The representative of the Sudan recalled that the international conference on crime in 1995 had been the first attempt to lay a global basis for the eradication of crime and the establishment of criminal justice.  Major efforts on transnational crime, drugs, terrorism, corruption and trafficking in persons had followed.  The past decade has seen the United Nations doing more in addressing crime, which was an impediment to security and development.

The Sudan had been making considerable efforts to implement regional and international agreements dealing with crime, and it was ready to cooperate with all global and regional players, particularly via the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI), he said.  The Sudan wanted to see UNAFRI’s capacities enhanced.  While the Sudan had not reached a level of risk concerning drugs, its geographical position did make it a transit point.  That aspect was being addressed through legislation and awareness-raising among the population, as well as through cooperation.  In this era of rapid globalization, such challenges had to be met through regional and international cooperation, with the necessary technical cooperation being provided, so that States could implement various programmes and strategies.

IFTEKHAR AHMED CHOWDHURY ( Bangladesh) said the rapid growth of crime was an even greater challenge for developing countries, as they were resource strapped and unable to access new technology.  There was an increasing need for the gathering and sharing of information, as well as training programmes, for law enforcement and criminal justice personnel.  Combating and preventing crime had been a major concern for the Government, and criminal justice reform and more affordable justice for the poor were crucial priorities.  Bangladesh’s commitment to combat transnational crime was unflinching, and it supported all international and regional efforts in that regard.  It had established an Independent Anti-Corruption Commission capable of initiating investigations into any case of malpractice.  Efforts were under way towards a national human rights commission, a separation of the judiciary from the executive, and an independent public prosecution service.

Bangladesh condemned terrorism in all its forms, and was committed to ending its tyranny on all fronts, he said.  It had ratified 12 United Nations conventions on terrorism and it was party to regional commitments, notably the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Regional Convention for Terrorism.  It had also enacted major legislation to suppress trafficking in persons and had ratified the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution.  Regarding drugs, Bangladesh had ratified all three major United Nations drug conventions and the SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and had concluded several bilateral agreements.  The United Nations should deepen its partnerships with regional efforts to combat organized crime and drugs; funding and technical cooperation for developing countries was also essential.

CLAUDIA BLUM ( Colombia) said that, while States had shown the political will to overcome the global drug problem, individual efforts were not enough.  It was necessary to develop more effective and coordinated actions in all countries, within the framework of international cooperation and supported by the principle of shared responsibility.  Colombia’s own efforts had been enormous, including stronger legislation and judicial procedures to seize illegal wealth.  It had also applied extradition treaties.  For the third consecutive year, Colombia had been the country that had seized the most cocaine; meanwhile, the land surface on which coca was grown had been 47 per cent smaller in 2005 than in 2000.  An essential component of Colombia’s strategy had been alternative development.  In that regard, the goal had been to reach 120,000 families, but that was a tremendous budgetary challenge that required resolute international support.

Despite the progress that had been made, many efforts and resources were needed by Colombia to eradicate the activities of criminal organizations and violent groups, she said.  A greater commitment by the international community was required, as the country’s President had told the General Assembly.  States had to develop more effective action to strengthen judicial cooperation against drug trafficking and related crimes, such as asset laundering and the arms trade.  It was also important to strengthen the work of UNODC.  Regarding trafficking in persons, in order for national efforts to be effective, coordinated international action was needed to dismantle networks and punish those responsible.  Regarding kidnapping, once again, it was important for countries to take measures to pursue and punish those who committed such crimes.

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