For information only - not an official document

UNIS/CP/697
26 November 2012

MEDIA ADVISORY

UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov to visit South-East Asia

28 Nov - 9 Dec

BANGKOK/VIENNA, 26 November (UN Information Service) - The Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov will start his first official visit to South-East Asia on 28 November.

During the 12-day, five-country mission, Mr. Fedotov will meet national and regional leaders and key government, UN and non-governmental organization (NGO) partners in Thailand, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Indonesia. He will hold strategic dialogues with them and beneficiaries of UNODC's work, as well as showcase key UNODC achievements in the region.

"East Asia and the Pacific is home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies and 40 per cent of its population. While economic growth and regional integration bring many positives such as the increased mobility of goods, services, people and money, they also provide opportunities for transnational organized crime to expand and threaten human security," said Mr. Fedotov.

Mr. Fedotov plans to discuss and engage with stakeholders on a broad range of human security threats including illicit drugs, transnational organized crime, anti-corruption, environmental crimes including the illegal trade in timber and protected wildlife, and human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

"Human security is threatened wherever organized criminal groups emerge and the rule of law is challenged. These transnational organized criminal syndicates - who trade in illicit drugs, human beings, counterfeit products, fake medicines, protected natural resources like timber, fish and other wildlife, and goods that harm the environment - are a threat to public health and society's well-being. Let's put them out of business!" said Mr. Fedotov.

In Thailand, Mr. Fedotov plans to meet Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Surapong Tovichakchaikul. Bangkok has been home to the UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific since 1971.

While in Myanmar, Mr. Fedotov is expected to meet both Vice-President Sai Mauk Kham and Nobel Prize winner and parliamentarian Daw Aung San Suu Kyi before visiting UNODC field offices in Shan State. Key Myanmar issues include illicit drugs such as opium and amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), transnational organized crime, anti-corruption, the burgeoning peace process in Shan State, and funding of alternative development projects to provide infrastructure, jobs and markets as an alternative to growing opium and producing illicit drugs.

Mr. Fedotov will then visit Viet Nam, where he will meet the President of Viet Nam Truong Tan Sang before going on to neighbouring Lao People's Democratic Republic to meet President Choumaly Sayasone, other senior government leaders and visit a shelter for women and children victims of human trafficking - as well as domestic violence and sexual exploitation.

Mr. Fedotov will conclude his South-East Asia visit in Indonesia, home to the largest single UNODC country programme in the region, and a critical regional hub. The UNODC programme in Indonesia focuses on providing critical support to anti-corruption efforts by the Supreme Court, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the criminal justice system, law enforcement and civil society to better combat emerging threats such forest and wildlife crimes, rising greenhouse gases caused by deforestation, and illicit drugs.

"UNODC will continue to assist the Government and people of Indonesia to fight illicit drugs, corruption and transnational organized crime, particularly with regard to environmental crime," said Mr. Fedotov.

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For further information, please contact:

John Bleho
Media and Communications Consultant
UNODC Regional Centre for East Asia and the Pacific
Telephone: (+66) 2288.2091
Mobile: (+66) 81.750.0539
Email: john.bleho[at]unodc.org

David Dadge
Spokesperson, UNODC Vienna
Telephone: (+43 1) 26060-5629
Mobile: (+43-699) 1459-5629
Email: david.dadge[at]unvienna.org