For information only - not an official document
UNIS/CP/736
29 November 2013
PANAMA CITY/VIENNA, 29 November (UN Information Service) - "Panama's anti-corruption efforts are inspiring other nations around the world. I congratulate Panama for hosting the Fifth Session of the Conference of the State Parties, and for having spearheaded the establishment of the Regional Anti-Corruption Academy for Central America and the Caribbean," said Mr. Fedotov after his meeting with President Martinelli on the opening day of the conference.
During the meeting, Mr. Fedotov, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted the importance of connectivity between regional law enforcement networks with other regions such as the Caribbean, South America, West and East Africa, the European Union and the Balkans as an effective way to establish early warning systems and inter-regional operational coordination among law enforcement and prosecutors.
President Martinelli stressed his own appreciation of UNODC's support in Panama which has yielded concrete results in areas such as container security, corruption, the increase of intelligence and investigative capacities to fight crime, and successful drug demand reduction efforts.
The Director General of the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information, Abigail Benzadón, the Public Security Minister, José Raul Mulino, and the Executive Secretary of the National Security Council, Alejandro Garúz, joined the President during the meeting.
In other meetings during the week-long conference, the UNODC Chief met with Brooke Derby, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States' Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; Ali Bin Mohsen Bin Fetais Al Marri, Attorney General of Qatar; Hernan Estrada Santamaria, Attorney General of Nicaragua, and Ana Belfon, Attorney General of Panama; Mayra Arosemena, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama; and Roberto Henriquez, Minister of Presidency of Panama.
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For further information please contact:
David Dadge, Spokesperson, UNODC
Panama Mobile: (+507) 6800 3353; Vienna mobile: (+43) 6991 459 5629
Email: david.dadge[at]unvienna.org
or
Anne Thomas, Information Officer, UNIS Vienna
Panama Mobile: (+507) 6800 2981; Vienna mobile: (+43) 6991 459 5588
Email: anne.thomas[at]unvienna.org
For further information visit:
http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/events/2013/cosp5_panama_2013.html
Conference website of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/CAC-COSP-session5.html
Conference website of the Host Country: http://cospvpanama.com/eng/index-e.html
Follow @UNODC on Twitter and join the conversation using #NoToCorruption and #CoSP5.
