United Nations

Commission Discusses International Convention against Transnational Crime and Recommendations of the Tenth UN Crime Congress at their Ninth Session

  VIENNA, 18 April -- International cooperation in combating transnational crime is the focus of the three-day meeting of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice starting today, 18 April 2000.

 Following the conclusion of the Tenth UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, the Commission gives priority attention to the conclusions and recommendations of the Congress.

 The Vienna Declaration on Crime and Justice, which was concluded by the Congress, encompasses an extensive list of measures meant to foster security and economic development around the world. In the Declaration Member States agreed to develop more effective means of collaboration and to provide mutual assistance, legal and technical, to combat transnational criminal activities.

 The Commission, therefore, will review the Declaration in view of approving it and subsequently sending it, through the Economic and Social Council, to the Millenium General Assembly. According to the Commission’s recommendations the General Assembly will than consider to adopt the Declaration and take the appropriate follow-up measures.

 In addition to reviewing the outcome of the Tenth Crime Congress the Commission will review the progress in the negotiations on the United Nations Convention against Transnational Crime, carried out by the Ad Hoc Committee.

 The Ad Hoc Committee was established by the General Assembly to negotiate a new treaty against transnational organized crime and the protocols on:

? illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition;
? illegal trafficking in and transporting of migrants;
? trafficking in human beings, especially women and children.

 The Ad Hoc Committee, according to the General Assembly’s request in its Resolution 54/126, should conclude negotiations on the Convention by the end of this year. After adoption of the instruments by the General Assembly, there will be High-level Political Signing Conference, to be hosted by the Government of Italy in Palermo.

Background on the Commission

 The 40-member Commission was set up by the Economic and Social Council in 1992. It develops and reviews the UN programme on crime prevention and mobilizes support for it among member states. The Centre for International Crime Prevention acts as the Secretariat of the Commission.

Commission Membership

 For the ninth session, the 40 member of the Commission will include Algeria, Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, United States of America.