SOCIAL COMMITTEE WRAPS UP DEBATE ON CRIME PREVENTION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND DRUG CONTROL THIS AFTERNOON

Sixty-second General Assembly

Third Committee

7^th & 8^th Meetings (AM & PM)

SOCIAL COMMITTEE WRAPS UP DEBATE ON CRIME PREVENTION,

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND DRUG CONTROL THIS AFTERNOON

Countries with Weak Law Enforcement Agencies Targeted

By Drug Traffickers Looking for Tran-Shipment Routes, Committee Told

Countries which neither produced nor consumed drugs, and often with weak law enforcement agencies, were being victimized by international drug traffickers who were constantly looking for new routes to transport their illicit product to their markets, delegates said today as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) wrapped up its general discussion of crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.

Drug trafficking brought with it political instability, organized crime and money-laundering activities, many delegates lamented.  Eighty percent of the world’s opium seizures now took place in Iran, the country’s representative said this morning.  Fighting the flow of drugs had been costly:  in the past 25 years, more than 4,000 people –- mostly law enforcement officers –- had been killed by traffickers, he added.  He also observed that the presence of coalition forces in Afghanistan had not led to the eradication or even reduction of illicit drug production.

International support was needed to enable Governments in developing countries to challenge illegal drug trafficking, the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said.  In a worrying trend, recent drug seizure statistics indicated an abrupt increase in the availability of drugs in her country, she said. 

The representative of Bolivia said that the “sacred coca leaf” had been unjustly criminalized by the international community.  Rather than disregarding the human rights of the poorest workers and harming the environment by eradicating their crops, he said, efforts at drug control should focus on countries which had a market for drugs.

Singapore’s representative said his country had dealt with its drug problem by imposing stronger laws that deterred drug offenders.  He then added that during yesterday’s session, Antonio Maria Costa, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) had said he was against the death penalty.  Singapore’s representative said that it was every country’s sovereign right to decide its own criminal justice system, and that by opining on it Mr. Costa was in danger of exceeding his mandate.

Statements were also made today by the representatives of the Russian Federation, Malaysia, Japan, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, India, Cuba, Syria, Mexico, Qatar, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Haiti, Mongolia, Thailand, Indonesia, Morocco, Nigeria, Ukraine, Venezuela, Israel, Kenya, Canada, Lebanon and Ethiopia.

Representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) also spoke.

Lebanon spoke in exercise of their right of reply.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 15 October, to begin its consideration of agenda item 63 (a), “Advancement of Women and 63 (b), “Implementation of the outcome of the Fourth World Conference on Women and of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly”.  The committee will then reconvene at 3 p.m. to continue its consideration of the agenda items.

Background

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

For background, please see Press Release GA/SHC/3884 of 10 October 2007.

Statements

ILYA I. ROGACHEV ( Russian Federation) aligned himself with the statements made by the representatives of Belarus and Kazakhstan on behalf of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on the issues of crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.  To meet the new challenges of cross-border organized crime and drug trafficking in the era of globalization, the United Nations and its affiliated programmes and institutions must be strengthened.  He urged Member States to join the Organization’s conventions on cross-border organized crime and corruption and to use the expertise of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).  He also said that the Russian Federation was fighting human trafficking through legislative efforts at home and participation in international efforts, among other measures.

Mr. Rogachev said that the fight against illegal narcotics was becoming more difficult.  The new phenomenon of drug-based economies, like in Afghanistan, increased narcotics production, enabled the drug business to flourish and financed extremists.  Outside pressures had not helped the situation.  He drew attention to last year’s ministerial level conference in Moscow on drug delivery from Afghanistan, whose decisions could provide a basis for international cooperation against that threat.  Efforts must be focussed not only on Afghanistan but on the surrounding region.  He proposed a series of anti-drug and financial security zones, while pledging to continue to make substantive contributions to the fight against drug trafficking.  He called on all countries to increase cooperation on this serious problem.

ZAHID RASTAM ( Malaysia) said crime undermined democracy and the rule of law, causing political and social instability while disrupting free markets and inhibiting overall development.  Countries’ investment in basic crime prevention could therefore bring about benefits at all levels.  He listed Malaysia’s numerous initiatives against crime, drugs and money-laundering, as well as achievements in the field of anti-terrorism, which he said were better even than many more developed countries.

He said Malaysia was also strongly committed to strengthening the legal framework in combating trafficking in persons, but noted that international initiatives against this activity should also focus on the developmental and security issues within the countries of origin.  In conclusion, he acknowledged the important work of UNODC, which he said did important work that Malaysia had benefited from directly through assistance in capacity-building programmes.

ATSUSHI YAMAGUCHI ( Japan) said to reduce the supply of illegal drugs, law enforcement agencies of every country must have adequate power to deal with the illegal trade in narcotic drugs.  At the March meeting of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Japan had tabled a draft entitled “Use of drug characterization and chemical profiling in support of drug law enforcement, intelligence-gathering and operational work, as well as trend analysis”, which had been adopted by consensus.  If the demand for drugs was to be decreased, the number of drug users had to be reduced.  Therefore, Japan had been waging a vigorous campaign to reduce the number of people abusing drugs.  To combat transnational organized crime, loopholes in international cooperation must be eliminated.  Japan was working on the ratification of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementing protocols, as well as the Convention against Corruption.

He said his country was addressing the issue of trafficking in persons and protection of victims based on the Action Plan for Trafficking in Persons.  Through UNODC, it was implementing a rehabilitation programme for victims.  As for the Counter-Terrorism Strategy, his country had contributed $47,000 to the Global Programme against Terrorism of the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch.  He expressed appreciation for the role UNODC continued to play in the fight against drugs and crime, but noted that it had limited resources, a limited mandate and a specific area of expertise.  The agency should therefore avoid duplicating projects being conducted elsewhere and it should be prudent about moving into new areas, especially if doing so would have a serious impact on the policies of Member States.

MOHSEN EMADI ( Iran) said his country, bordering on Afghanistan and Pakistan, was at the forefront of the fight against worldwide drug abuse and smuggling.  Following the rise of the Taliban, and an ensuing unprecedented increase in opium production in Afghanistan, Iran had been confronted with a huge amount of narcotics in trans-shipment.  Fighting that flow of drugs had been costly; more than 4,000 people, mostly law enforcement personnel, had been killed by traffickers in the past 25 years.  While efforts by the Government of Afghanistan to tackle the drugs problem had the full respect and support of Iran, it was ironic that the presence of coalition forces in Afghanistan had not led to the eradication or even reduction of illicit drug production; in fact, those forces had shown indifference and apathy towards increased opiate production.

Iran’s efforts against the trans-shipment of drugs had been recognized by international bodies, especially UNODC.  Some 30,000 troops had been mobilized along the Afghanistan and Pakistan borders, while border checkpoints had been reinforced and modernized.  Eighty per cent of the world’s opium and heroin seizures now took place in Iran.  Such achievements had resulted from coordination, cooperation and the exchange of information with other States.   Iran had also signed drug-fighting agreements with 30 countries and, in cooperation with UNODC, embarked on the second phase of its Norooz project to exchange information on drugs.  Regular contacts with senior drug officials in Afghanistan and Pakistan had been set up as well.  The international community had to protect future generations from the scourge of drugs; thus, there was an urgent need to review regional and global policies and programmes, so as to make up shortfalls that had been hampering effective action.

ARIEL BOWEN ( Jamaica), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said crime prevention should be addressed in a multilateral setting.  It should be done, however, with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and the principle of non-intervention.  For their part, CARICOM States were signatories to several international instruments, including the Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and others.  Their main challenge was the practical application of those conventions, which, for Caribbean States, was a question of resources.  Partnerships with neighbours and subregional agreements helped bridge part of the gap between theory and application, but continued international cooperation would be essential.

She recalled that, last year, CARICOM had expressed dismay at what was then the prospect of the closure of the UNODC office in Barbados.  As a group of 14 United Nations Member States deeply affected by the effects of transnational crime and the international drug trade, CARICOM would continue to press for a reversal of that decision.  Meanwhile, the group would continue to participate in cooperative mechanisms among countries to address the global drug problem, such as Trinidad and Tobago’s hosting of a high-level meeting on coordination and cooperation between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union in May. 

Among some of the peculiar problems facing Caribbean countries, she said, was that criminals of other countries were often deported back to their shores, even though those criminals were “products of their adopted countries” with no remaining family or social support networks to assist their reintegration.  Also, the Caribbean’s central location made it an easy trans-shipment point to North and South America and Europe, posing challenges to its capacity to respond to crime-related problems.  In addition, the region attracted an abundance of small arms and light weapons, fuelled by criminal networks involved in transnational drug trafficking and other crimes.  She ended by thanking the United States and the United Kingdom for their support in drug interdiction, noting that the recent hosting of the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup 2007 had called for a regional integrated approach to the region’s security.  The success of such initiatives, however, depended on serious financial commitments.

PATRICK RITTER ( Liechtenstein) said his country considered UNODC to be a crucial component of the overall United Nations action to promote the rule of law.  The Office’s demand for technical assistance -- particularly in the implementation of major drugs and crime instruments -- had increased.  He agreed with the Secretary-General’s assessment that sustained assistance was needed to help criminal justice systems apply the instruments in full conformity with the rule of law and with international human rights standards.  Only an approach based on the rule of law and full respect for human rights could create the necessary trust -- at the national and international levels -- between civil society and the private sector, as well as among authorities of different States.

On capacity building, he said Liechtenstein had supported the Office regularly through financial contributions and training seminars.  He welcomed the Office’s cooperation with other organizations, commending its partnership with the World Bank in the implementation of the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative.  He also highlighted the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR), which provided training to developing country officials and, this year, held an expert group meeting on applying the United Nations Convention against Corruption and relevant capacity-building measures.  Liechtenstein, a donor to ICAR, was convinced that such exchanges between developing and developed countries were highly instrumental in putting the Convention into daily practice.  Among domestic measures, he said recently adopted changes to the Criminal Code, the Narcotics Act and the Mutual Legal Assistance Act would help implement the second European Union money laundering directive, the revised Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.  Further, he was confident that an International Monetary Fund (IMF) review of Liechtenstein’s regulatory system to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism would show the country’s countermeasures to be in broad compliance with international standards.

NIRUPAM SEN ( India) said South-East Asian countries had made remarkable progress in combating drugs.  There had also been a declining trend in the manufacturing of cocaine.  But opium production in Afghanistan was worrying, with 75 per cent of the country’s output being produced in areas controlled by the Taliban.  That threat had to be dealt with.  Regarding terrorism, he said India had been subject to hideous terrorist attacks.  A strong international resolve was needed to confront the threat.

UNODC was doing important work, he said, adding that India supported increasing its funding from the United Nations budget.  India also supported the statement on behalf of CARICOM regarding the closure of the UNODC office in Barbados.  It was not just a question of resources, but one of financial efficiency, and the issue should be revisited.  India was committed to working with other countries to combat transnational organized crime and international terrorism, which undermined peace and security.

LUIS A. AMORÓS NÚÑEZ ( Cuba) said that the current system of international relations, characterized by “fierce thirst for profits”, was creating the ideal conditions for uncontrollable organized crime and the trafficking of narcotics.  The big Powers had evaded their responsibility to solve the problem, instead assuming the role of judge or police.  Cuba suggested several guidelines for solving the problem, including disposing of doctrines based on illegal prerogatives such as the supposed right to pre-emptive war.

It was unacceptable that the United States was purporting to become the judge of others in matters of drug trafficking, he said.  It was absurd that it would also aspire to set the pace in the fight against trafficking in persons.   Cuba, however, continued to improve and the cornerstone of its crime prevention efforts was the comprehensive education of its children, youth and population in general.   Cuba would make every effort to prevent its territory from being used to carry out criminal actions against any people of the world.

WARIF HALABI ( Syria) said that solutions had to be found urgently to mitigate the destructive impact of drugs and crime.  Her country was party to most international crime-fighting instruments.  It had contributed to international efforts, acceding to bilateral and multilateral agreements, above all in the area of extradition.  One of the most serious aspects of transnational organized crime was trafficking in humans; Syria had participated in international conferences on that problem, and its Interior Ministry had hosted a workshop in Damascus to help the Government update relevant legislation.

Syria supported sincere international efforts to combat terrorism, she said, although a distinction had to be made between terrorism and fighting against illegal occupation.  It had ratified 10 counter-terrorism conventions and was considering signing up to the remaining three.  It had acceded to regional agreements to combat terrorism as well, and sustained its efforts in the context of the United Nations Charter and international commitments.  And although serious efforts had been taken to curb illicit drug use and production, Syria welcomed any form of cooperation, as drugs were an international problem that needed joint and united efforts.  Her country had been working closely with UNODC and wished to express satisfaction with its regional office for North Africa and the Middle East.  Further technical and financial support needed to be extended to the Office.

CLAUDE HELLER ( Mexico) said that his country had taken note of the work UNODC had done over the last year, and added that Mexico knew, from its own experience, that these matters were transnational phenomena that no State could deal with alone.  Each State’s sovereignty, however, always had to be respected.

The networks of organized crime and drug trafficking were adapting to globalization by multiplying their routes, he said.  Mexico was convinced that, along with the commitments made, the international community also had to create strategies to deal with new threats.  In this regard, he said, within the Organization of American States (OAS), Mexico had promoted initiatives linked to prohibiting Internet sales of controlled substances.  It was also taking legal action to combat the scourge of trafficking in persons, which the country condemned as contemporary slavery.  In keeping with its commitments, Mexico would present a draft resolution on international cooperation on the drugs problem, and was currently convening informal consultations on the subject.

FAHAD AL-HAMADE ( Qatar) underlined the work of the Global Sport Fund and the positive role that athletics could play in battling illicit drugs.  The focus of the Fund was to support greater youth involvement in athletics; to support youth, athletic and non-governmental organizations; to help finance such organizations; and to fight the use of drugs among young people.  In cooperation with UNODC, it had been waging popular awareness campaigns, with sports stars being used to say “yes to athletics and no to drugs”.  Sport was about more than competing and winning; it was also about participation, involvement and confidence-building.  Delegations were invited to visit the Fund’s website at www.globalsportfund.com.  Qatar would continue, at the national level, its contribution to international efforts in crime prevention and illicit drugs.

SOHA GENDI ( Egypt) said the United Nations played an important role in crime prevention and the fight against drugs; such actions could guarantee stability and social peace.  Egypt had been among the first to accede to international treaties and conventions on all forms of criminality as well as terrorism, and it had supported capacity-building to fight such scourges.  Human trafficking also had to be confronted.  Egypt supported UNODC, which had its regional office in Cairo, from where it helped nations to modernize their legislation on crime, terrorism and human trafficking; fact-finding missions had also gone out to several African countries, affording them maximum support.

Egypt had studied the report of the Secretary-General on crime prevention and criminal justice with much interest, she said, in particular technical cooperation in Africa, which had been the subject of a resolution by the Economic and Social Council last year.  There had been, however, a lack of financial resources for priority programmes that would contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  Regarding terrorism, Africa was one of the least developed regions in terms of addressing the problem.  As one of the African countries that had seen the most terrorism, Egypt called for norms to be elaborated in order to create a database that the United Nations could use as a source of information and to support the efforts of African countries in terms of crime prevention.  The 12^th United Nations Conference on Crime Prevention in 2010 would be an opportunity to take stock of progress and to look into new forms of crime that exploit technological progress.

BARLYBAY SADYKOV ( Kazakhstan) said the international community had defined the drug threat as a main threat to the human community that undermined people’s health and well-being, as well as the political stability of States and the international community as a whole.  It was impossible to resolve these problems alone, he noted, and a comprehensive approach was needed.

For the CIS countries, Afghanistan was the main source of drugs, he said, and the problem was increasing.  Every year across Central Asia, he said, 150 tons of heroin were transported.  By 2010, the number of addicts along the route could be 20 to 25 million people, he warned, and up to 10 million of them could be living with HIV.  A national strategy was therefore needed to fight this threat.  Strengthening security along borders with other countries was one initiative.  In conclusion, he once again noted that effectively fighting narcotics was only possible through cooperation at regional and universal levels.

U KYAW TINT SWE ( Myanmar) said that if warranted, UNODC’s selected new data for South-East Asia should cover the most serious situations of opium poppy cultivation.  The menace of illicit drugs had increased due to the link between trafficking and transnational crime, a challenge that should be met with close international cooperation based on shared responsibility.  The Secretary-General’s report (document A/62/117) underlined the significant progress made in reducing opium production in Myanmar, where it had fallen by 26 and 34 per cent in 2005 and 2006 respectively.  Opium production in Afghanistan had increased 59 per cent in 2006 despite the billions of dollars spent by the United States, while Myanmar had received no bilateral assistance in its battle against illicit drugs.  Its serious supply reduction efforts must be complemented by equally serious demand reduction policies.

South-East Asia was no longer a major supplier of opium, he said.  Yet, as the Secretary-General cautioned in his report, efforts to reduce illicit opium poppy cultivation in the region should be sustained.  Former opium producers living in extreme poverty required sound and sustainable development assistance, which the international community should increase.  Myanmar’s strict political will to rid the country of narcotics by 2014 was responsible for its unprecedented progress.  The country was working with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reach the common goal of making the region drug-free by 2015, and it had signed a memorandum of understanding with six other countries to create a Greater Mekong subregion drug-free zone.  But without assistance, that progress could be undone.  Myanmar was also fully cognizant of the emerging threat posed by amphetamine-type stimulants and was working to interdict and eradicate the precursor chemicals used in their production.

E. HUGO SILES-ALVARADO ( Bolivia) said his country was currently undergoing a democratic and cultural revolution to bring about democratic changes, led by an indigenous people’s movement.  One of the symbols of this movement was the sacred coca leaf, which had been unjustly criminalized by the international community.  “We must dispel the myths that have sprung up around the coca plant”, he said, and focus on scientific evidence.  The Bolivian Government had the political resolve to restore the coca plant’s dignity and thus change its legal status.  The “zero coca” policy imposed on Bolivia by one of the countries with the highest consumption of cocaine had caused only sorrow, pain and grief among coca producing families.  Herbicide had caused ecological damage and affected the health of workers. “Zero coca” was a failed policy, he said.

The new policy of the Bolivian Government was encapsulated in a programme that had allowed the country to make progress in prohibiting cocaine production.  Bolivia was continuing the eradication of excess coca cultivation, but respecting the human rights of farmers, and keeping in mind both traditional and non-traditional use of coca leaves.  Bolivia believed that time had come to reorder priorities against illicit drugs.  “Our priority should be against traffickers and not against producers of the raw material,” he said.  In order to decrease production, demand had to be reduced.  Bolivia did not need economic or military aid to eradicate its coca plantations, he said.  The human rights of the poorest workers could not be violated again.  They were just offering the fruits of their labour to the demand for drugs.  “Let us eliminate the demand for drugs,” he concluded.

FRISNEL AZOR ( Haiti) said the grave threat posed by multinational drug traffickers and their vast networks could never be stressed too often.  For Third World countries, with weak institutions, drug trafficking was a source of chronic political insecurity and instability, and a constant danger to establishing the rule of law.  As the President of Haiti, René Préval, had told the General Assembly last month, Haiti was determined to work with concerned countries, including the United States and Canada, to eliminate the trans-shipment of drugs through its territory.  It was hoped that the United States, which had signed an agreement on drug trafficking by sea on 17 October 1997, would mobilize sufficient means to confront the audacity of traffickers.

He recalled that the Secretary-General, in his recent report on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), had recommended more support to Haiti’s National Police to tighten land and sea entry points to curb drug trans-shipments; it was hoped that the Security Council would take up that proposal next Monday.  Reinforcing the judicial system was a priority for Haiti if it was to exploit its crossroads status; civil society in particular had welcomed the launch of a working group on justice reform.  Since 2006 the Ministry of Justice had been consolidating the independence of the judiciary; for that effort, Haiti thanked UNODC for its great support.

SODNOM GANHUAYG ( Mongolia) said his country was harmonizing its national legislation with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Trafficking Protocol.  Once preparations were finalized, it could accede to the Convention and its Protocols.  Faced with new and emerging social ills such as human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and drug abuse, Mongolia was collaborating with the relevant international organizations to address them.  In cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), for instance, it was implementing a specific police programme to provide support to victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

He said that in the important fight against corruption, his country had put several measures in place.  Last March, it had set up the Anti-Corruption Agency.  Public officials were required to declare their income, investments, assets and substantial gifts or benefits.  The Agency needed more cooperation with international organizations and other countries on jurisdictional issues, transfer and recovery of assets, and training and sharing of best practices.  For the effective implementation of international instruments relating to human trafficking, corruption and organized crime, the technical assistance provided by donor countries and international organizations, particularly UNODC, played a vital role.

CHIRACHAI PUNKRASIN ( Thailand) said that fighting the global criminal trade in illicit narcotics required strengthened international partnerships, ever-changing strategies and a holistic approach that tackled both demand and supply.  To reduce demand, specific user groups must be targeted through interventions and the use of mass media.  Rehabilitation, reintegration, data collection and evaluation efforts must also be in place.  At the same time, adequately funded supply eradication must accompany such demand eradication for long-term success.

He pointed to the decline of opium production in the so-called “Golden Triangle” of South-East Asia, of which Thailand was part, as a success story that put all the necessary elements together.  Most important, he said, was the idea of people-centred alternative development, which showed a better way of life for people if they turned away from the cultivation of drugs.  Thailand was sharing this experience with a number of countries.  For alternative development projects to be sustainable, he called on both developed and developing countries to provide support through financial assistance, access to markets for the products such projects generated, and other strategies.

Turning to human trafficking, he said that Thailand had become a country of origin, transit and destination.  It was looking at the problem from all of those angles and was working hard to tackle them comprehensively, based on the principles of prevention, protection and prosecution, with human rights at the heart of the approach.  The country strongly supported the Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking to be held in Vienna next year.  In conclusion, he called for full implementation of the Bangkok Declaration adopted by the 11^th Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

CHIN MINGJUN ( Singapore) said this year’s World Drug Report -- which stated that the world’s drug problem was being contained and that the global market for main illicit drugs such as opiates, cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine-type stimulants remained largely stable -- was evidence that international drug control was in fact working.  Almost half of all cocaine and a quarter of heroine produced were intercepted.  However, there were still 25 million “problem drug users” worldwide.  Several regions without central government control continued to thrive as drug production centres.  Drug trafficking continued across borders, making international cooperation vital.

Singapore had dealt with its own drug problem with stronger laws to deter drug offenders and stricter enforcement, he said.  It had embraced a holistic strategy, incorporating preventive drug education, rehabilitation, follow-up and community involvement.  Community efforts had been essential to successful education and rehabilitation.  In 1995, Singapore set up a National Council against Drug Abuse that was comprised of government bodies, self-help groups, halfway houses and community leaders.  It also began the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (CARE Network) to help reform offenders.  Since 1994, annual arrests of drug abusers had dropped from 6,200 to 1,100.  Singapore had the lowest percentage of drugs abusers in the world. 

He said he was surprised that during the previous day’s session UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa stated that he was against the death penalty.  The Committee’s sessions were meant to discuss the drug problem.  Mr. Costa’s personal views were ill-informed and irrelevant.  He cautioned Mr. Costa against exceeding his mandate.  There was no international consensus on whether the death penalty was a human rights violation.  For many countries it was a criminal justice issue.  The death penalty was imposed for the most serious crimes and served as a deterrent for would-be offenders.  Every country had a sovereign right to decide its own criminal justice system.  It was not up to Mr. Costa to decide that.

MARTY NATALEGAWA ( Indonesia) said crime, drugs and terrorism were universal challenges that required effective national, regional and international responses.  Addressing those challenges should be a common and shared responsibility of the international community.  He supported Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) resolutions 2007/12 and 2007/19 on UNODC’s 2008-2011 strategy that provided a comprehensive, results-based approach to those issues.  He commended the agency for its efforts to provide country-driven technical cooperation in related fields.  The effective implementation of UNODC mandates and functions was closely linked to funding.  While lauding the increase in Member States’ contributions to 88 per cent of UNODC’s annual budget, he warned that overdependence on those contributions could create an unpredictable funding situation and make it difficult for the Office to plan ahead.  UNODC’s regular budget needed proper attention.  The agency absorbed less than one per cent of the United Nations regular budget; that amount accounted for 12 per cent of UNODC’s annual budget.  UNODC required regular resources in line with its mandate and activities.

The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking was an important one and it must be the product of an intergovernmental process to ensure inclusion of all parties’ interests in policy making, he said.  He lauded resolution 16/1, adopted by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CPCJ), on international cooperation to prevent and combat international trafficking in forest products.  Such illicit activity was of grave concern if the sources were tropical rainforests -– the guardians of the Earth against climate change and global warming.  Alternative development was a crucial part of a balanced, comprehensive drug control strategy.  He called for more partnerships between UNODC and other relevant United Nations agencies, global organizations and development partners to enhance Member States’ alternative development capacities.

HAMID CHABAR ( Morocco) said the links among organized crime, terrorism and drug trafficking outlined in the reports spelled out the Secretary-General’s strategic priorities to combat such threats.  He called on States to ratify universal counter-terrorism instruments.  In that context, he said Morocco would mediate a conference next year to help justice ministers from francophone countries in Africa implement such measures, and would also host a regional workshop dedicated to the question of extradition.

While his country was pleased at the general trend towards improving national multisectoral strategies to counter drugs, he said the struggle against organized crime was still dependent on States’ respect for the rule of law and good governance.  Action plans would continue to be inefficient without international cooperation and appropriate technical assistance, especially in developing countries.

He said Morocco was harmonizing national legislation with the International Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and had introduced various reforms to its legislative framework.  Transnational crime was associated with illegal trafficking in migrants, drugs and arms, and as such, required a global, integrated approach.  His country attached importance to the Convention’s Protocol, and commended UNODC for supporting the efforts of North and West African countries to prevent the trafficking of migrants.

His country, said Mr. Chabar, had created a National Commission on Narcotics, a coordination unit to combat drugs and an agency to promote development in its northern provinces.  Morocco had also worked to drastically reduce acreage used for growing cannabis.  In addition, he called on countries to revitalize regional and international cooperation against money laundering.

Morocco’s commitment to a strong anti-drug trafficking policy should not be in doubt, he said.  He called on all States to assume their responsibilities.  By unifying national, regional and international efforts, countries could overcome those scourges.

AHMAD GIADE, Chairman of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria, said despite efforts to combat international organized crime and drug trafficking, the situation continued to pose great threats to the international community, especially as both contributed to the spread of HIV/AIDS.  In order to combat this problem, the international community and UNODC needed to strengthen the provision of technical assistance to Member States, training, and job creation in the field of drug prevention.  Additionally, as Africa’s sub-Saharan region seemed to be caught in the crossfire of global traffickers, who dealt largely in cannabis, efforts required both international and regional coordination.

Nigeria had already committed enormous resources to stop the trafficking of drugs through its entry and exit points.  It had also helped to form the West African Joint Operations (WAJO) to oversee the operations, he said.  However, assistance for this initiative had waned in the past two years and WAJO now urgently needed funding.  Nigeria was also concerned about the increasing financial difficulty experienced by UNODC.  The Office required sustainable and predictable funding in order to enact measurable and irreversible planning in the war against the “international drug menace”.

YURII ONISCHENKO ( Ukraine) said globalization had created an environment in which illicit drugs, crime and terrorism easily crossed borders.  The worldwide expansion of such problems called for the ongoing improvement of national, regional and international efforts and mechanisms.  Ukraine supported enhanced international cooperation to combat transnational organized crime and intended to become an active member of all international efforts.  It urged all States to implement international drug, crime and human trafficking legislation.  To promote cooperation on crime prevention and criminal justice, Ukraine called upon international organizations to maintain additional measures such as information exchange, experience sharing, and more technical and expert assistance.  Success depended on the efficiency and professionalism of law enforcement bodies and special services in each country.

UNODC and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs had taken substantial measures to help countries resolve drug-related problems, he said.  However, Ukraine remained concerned over the constantly increasing level of heroin production in Afghanistan, and the large quantity of Afghan heroin transiting through Ukrainian territory en route to Europe.  Countries with economies in transition were especially vulnerable to international drug trafficking due to their geographic position.  The decision by five Central Asian countries, plus the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan, to set up a regional coordination centre to fight illicit drug trafficking and organized crime was a big step forward.

FRANK ANZOLA ( Venezuela) said that the level of drug seizures, in addition to significant arrests made, reflected Venezuela’s firm commitment to the fight against illegal drugs.  In the legislative field, Venezuela was seeking stricter sentences against traffickers.  His country was not a drug producing State, nor did it have a high level of use, he commented, but it was, however, a main route through which traffickers smuggled drugs.

Transit countries faced special issues, he said.  In that regard, UNODC played a significant role; Venezuela had benefited from training provided by the office for police and judges, among others.  He underscored the need for total respect for territorial integrity and human rights, and added that while Venezuela was compelled to combat drugs, indigenous people should not be endangered.

JOYCE KAFANABO (United Republic of Tanzania) said her country’s strategic position bordering eight other countries, six of which were landlocked, in addition to its good road networks and long Indian Ocean coastline, contributed greatly to making the country vulnerable to illicit drug trafficking.  Although largely a transit country, recent drugs seizure statistics indicated an abrupt increase in the availability of drugs on Tanzanian territory.

Cannabis was the most abused and trafficked drug in the country, and its cultivation was increasing, she said.  Government measures to end cannabis cultivation included massive eradication operations, which should be complemented with viable alternative development programmes.  The challenges of dealing with illegal drugs included the lack of a variety of resources, such as law enforcement agencies and treatment capacities for addicts.  International support was important in enabling the government to address those challenges.

MEIRAV EILON SHAHAR ( Israel) said that the effects of organized crime and illicit drugs must be combated through international cooperation that was based on the understanding that threats in one part of the world were threats to all.  Her country had therefore joined a number of relevant treaties on illicit drugs and was committed to the United Nations 10-year plan to combat the scourge.  At a national level, she said Israel supported a balanced, parallel approach that dealt with both the demand and supply side.  Among growing concerns were increasing abuse of cannabis, inhalants and alcohol.  The latter required special programmes for migrant communities, which were particularly susceptible.

Addressing trafficking in persons and the smuggling of workers, she said forceful joint efforts were needed to limit the number of potential victims of such crimes in source countries and to eradicate the demand in destination countries.  Israel had enacted laws for those purposes on the national level and continued to work to coordinate and implement policy on the international level.

The connection between terrorism and drug trafficking could be seen on Israel’s northern border, she said, where citizens had been arrested for providing strategic information in exchange for drugs.  She hoped that the review of the global counter-terrorism strategy later this year would take such elements into consideration to increase its effectiveness.  To combat all international organized crime, the international community must rededicate itself to invigorating the regime of international law enforcement while promoting the highest standards at the national level.

WANJUKI MUCHEMI ( Kenya) welcomed the strengthening of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme, particularly in technical cooperation, and supported a further strengthening of UNODC as recommended by the Secretary-General.  Kenya had reaped benefits from the Office’s technical programmes, and it looked forward to continued collaboration.  It was incumbent for Member States to marshal the necessary political will to ratify, accede to, and implement the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols.  Participation in those instruments was far from universal.  Of grave concern was the low level of participation in the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components.

Due to its unique position as a communication hub in East Africa, Kenya had been a preferred transit route for many international drug dealers, he said.  Despite a limited capacity, the Government had strengthened measures to address that problem, including more border controls; strengthening the anti-narcotic police service; imposing very stringent administration and penal measures; setting up an inter-ministerial drug coordinating committee; and establishing a national agency to campaign against drug abuse.  Some 1.1 metric tons of cocaine with a street value of 90 million United States dollars, seized in Kenya in December 2004 and destined for lucrative overseas markets, was destroyed in a very public display in February 2006 with help from UNODC.

KIM COWAN ( Canada) said crime, corruption and terrorism affected all Member States, and all countries therefore had the responsibility to find solutions.  To that end, her Government had implemented a series of initiatives, including the recent ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption; the ongoing implementation of a new National Anti-Drug Strategy to reduce the supply and demand for illicit drugs; and assistance in the development of the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking.

She said Member States should work to strengthen criminal justice systems and the work of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.  The international community should also work towards the goals laid out in the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Counter-Terrorism Capacity-Building Programme.  The crime and drug situations in Afghanistan and in the Americas were of particular concern.  Her Government had already offered financial and technical support to help resolve those issues.  In conclusion, she welcomed the efforts of UNODC and the Crime and Drug Programmes to promote international cooperation to combat drugs, transnational organized crime, corruption and terrorism.  The Medium-Term Strategy for 2008-2011 would prove to be an important tool in setting the strategic direction of UNODC and would help the Office take action in the most effective manner.

MAJDI RAMADAN ( Lebanon) said Lebanon had a zero-tolerance policy for drugs.  The country had destroyed millions of square metres of drug crops in the last years, including hashish, cocaine and opium poppies.   Lebanon also had new legislation that defined a drug addict as a person suffering from a disease, and not a criminal.  Addicts were therefore not sent to jail anymore, but were given a choice of going to a hospital or a treatment centre.

Given the close relationship between money-laundering and drugs, as well as other forms of transnational organized crime, the Lebanese government in 2001 passed a law which identified money-laundering as a punishable crime.  Moving to the subject of terrorism, he said Lebanon had been the victim of terrorism in all its forms, including foreign occupation by Israel, as well as terrorist attacks perpetrated by Fatah al-Islam.   Lebanon was committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms, he concluded.

DESALEGN ALEMU ( Ethiopia) said that organized crime, corruption, terrorism and human trafficking were all expanding in many parts of the world.  Many developing countries -- especially the least developed ones –- did not have sufficient financial resources to protect themselves from these scourges.  He thanked UNODC for its involvement in those issues and was encouraged to see practical actions being taken on the ground, particularly those focusing on prevention

The government of Ethiopia was committed to abiding by its obligations to prevent crime and corruption, he said.  He underscored that this, however, called for cooperation.  The development partners of Ethiopia should stand by their commitments to help developing countries overcome challenges due to their individual weak capacities.

LUCA DALL’OGLIO, Permanent Observer for the International Organization for Migration, outlined his agency’s contributions to the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking (UN.GIFT); Expert Group Initiatives (EGIs) in Health and Trafficking and Stakeholder Cooperation with Law Enforcement; counter-trafficking operations in 84 countries around the globe; a Counter-Trafficking Database; and a Global Assistance Fund (GAF), which provided return and reintegration assistance to trafficked persons.

He said that in addition to existing programmes that inhibited the supply of unregulated cheap labour, an increased focus on inhibiting the demand for such labour was needed in destination countries.  This should target sectors that required the labour of men and boys as well as those that resulted in the traffic of women and girls.  Possible efforts included measures to ensure that all work came under the protection of labour laws –- to guarantee the rights of all workers and to assist consumers to identify goods and services that used exploitative labour.  It was important to continue to bring source countries and destination countries together to work on the problem, and to open more legal channels of migration.

MICHAEL SCHULZ (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) (IFRC) praised the work of UNODC.  He said it was time to be “guided by the light of conscience, not by the darkness of ignorance and fear”, and that it was the duty of governments and communities to treat drug users with respect, as people with rights and needs.  He noted that in recent years, the IFRC had prioritized people and communities affected by HIV.  He also pointed out that in many counties, notably in Central Asia, the relationship between HIV and drug use was very clear.  He called for stronger support for National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and their civil society partners, and for stronger partnerships with public authorities.

Using Kazakhstan to illustrate several of his ideas, he said that country faced severe drug-related issues, while at the same time facing an increased HIV rate, an increased rate of risk of infection to women, problems with stigma and discrimination, and an increased vulnerability of women.  While the Government of Kazakhstan was beginning to take action on drugs and the humanitarian problems of abuse, he said there was still an “inevitable disparity” between official figures on drug users and figures produced by community action groups -- a disparity probably due to stigma and discrimination.  An estimated 84 per cent of Kazakhstan’s HIV cases were infected through drug use, a figure which he called typical for many countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.  For this reason, he said the HIV problem could not be successfully addressed without making it a central element in drug control policies and actions.  Further, he said addressing those problems required consultation with communities at risk, through programmes either directly or indirectly run by the communities themselves.  The Red Cross response in Kazakhstan had been welcomed and supported by the government, and had mobilized thousands of volunteers throughout the country.

He said the IFRC and the Italian Red Cross would jointly host a workshop on drug use and HIV in November, during the 30^th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.  He said he intended to bring along the preliminary outcomes of a survey of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies on their activities in relation to substance abuse.

AXUMITE GEBRE-EGZIABHER, Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) New York Office, said that a better understanding of rapid urbanization was key to dealing with urban crime.  Half of the world’s population now lived in cities, a proportion due to reach two thirds by 2030, with 95 per cent of that growth in developing countries.  It was worrisome that urban growth had become synonymous with slum growth.  Much remained to be done to strengthen policing and criminal justice in counties with the most rapid urbanization, but the race could be lost in the absence of urgent actions at the local level to ensure the rights of the urban poor in the city.  There had to be a concerted approach to deprivation of housing and services, more participatory urban planning, and more inclusive decision-making.

Success in preventing urban crime had to be assessed by how much protection was being given to the most vulnerable members of society, she said.  Victimization surveys in a dozen slums showed that less than 25 per cent of criminal incidents had even been reported.  To better inform public policy, a tremendous knowledge gap had to be overcome.  To that end, UN-HABITAT had set up a consultative group of partners, and had been working closely with UNODC and other agencies, to collaborate on integrated approaches to urban insecurity issues.  A global report titled “Enhancing Urban Safety and Security” was launched by UN-HABITAT last week; it clearly showed that urban crime and violence hindered sustainable urban development and poverty reduction.  Urban crime prevention was to be discussed at the World Urban Forum in Nanjing, China on 13 to 17 October 2008; UN-HABITAT welcomed all Member States to participate.

Right of Reply

The representative of Lebanon, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said that Israel had tried to politicize the drugs problem just as other delegations were trying to solve it.  Israel had been making baseless allegations; what prevented cooperation on organized crime in the region were not political differences, but the Israeli occupation.  Quoting various reports, the representative said Israeli drug smugglers had a virtual global monopoly on ecstasy, and that Israel was an affluent drug-consuming country with 20,000 junkies.  Lebanon did not intend to raise the issue, but it was compelled to point out those facts.

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For information media • not an official record