For information only - not an official document

UNIS/CP/624
14 October 2010

MEDIA ADVISORY - PRESS CONFERENCE

United Nations Member States to address global security threat of transnational organized crime

Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) meet in Vienna 18-22 October 2010

VIENNA, 14 October (UN Information Service) - The progress of international efforts to address transnational organized crime will be the focus of the meeting of the Conference of Parties in Vienna from 18 to 22 October. Ten years after it came into being, States will review implementation of the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), also known as the Palermo Convention.

The media are invited to a press conference by Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on the opening day, Monday 18 October at 1p.m. in Room M2 of the M-building. Mr. Fedotov will be joined by Ministers of Member States as well as the Chair of the Conference, Amina Mohamed of Kenya.

The Convention, together with its Protocols on trafficking in persons and firearms, as well as migrant smuggling, forms the legal basis for international cooperation against all types of serious crimes. Ministers and officials from the United Nations Member States will address issues ranging from strengthening the international response to organized crime to "emerging" issues such as environmental crime and cybercrime.

Media events

The briefing will provide an opportunity for the media to discuss the global challenges of human trafficking with a range of experts. Additional panelist will include a human trafficking expert from UNODC, a representative from UNICEF and the non-governmental organization (NGO), La Strada.

Other parallel events

Throughout the session, an extensive programme of side events will also be open to the press. There will be presentations on various issues including one on 'Gangs, armed groups and guns' by the NGO, Small Arms Survey, another on 'Forensic examination of fraudulent documents' by UNODC and the US authorities and one by the Cybercrime Institute. There will also be events on different aspects of human trafficking. Two exhibitions will be opened on the themes of gangs and human trafficking.

For a full list of side events is available here.

For accreditation

Media are encouraged to pre-accredit for the press briefings and other events; forms and criteria are available here or by writing to press@unvienna.org.

Journalists already accredited to the Vienna International Centre do not need re-accreditation. Please note that accreditation is required to attend the briefing.

Access to the M building is via Checkpoint 1 of the Vienna International Centre. Camera crews should write in advance to press@unvienna.org

Media are advised to come to the venue at least half an hour before the briefing to avoid delays at security.

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For further information contact:

Preeta Bannerjee
Public Information Officer, UNODC
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5764
Email: preeta.bannerjee@unodc.org
or
Alun Jones,
Chief of Communications, UNODC
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5726,
Email: alun.jones@unodc.org
or
Anne Thomas,
Information Officer, UNIS Vienna
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-5588
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5588
Email: anne.thomas@unvienna.org