For information only - not an official document

UNIS/CP/779
2 October 2014

Nations meet for biennial organized crime discussion

Seventh Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime opens 6 October with focus on cooperation needed to confront the criminals

VIENNA, 2 October (UN Information Service) - Speaking ahead of next week's conference on transnational organized crime, UN Office on Drugs and Crime Chief Yury Fedotov said the fight against crime was founded on a strong rule of law and effective criminal justice systems. He stressed the need to defeat the criminals as a means of creating equitable societies powered by sustainable development.

Mr. Fedotov said, "Hardly a day goes by without news of the tragic deaths of smuggled migrants, humans being cruelly trafficked, firearms being smuggled and the terrible loss of wildlife and forests that are everyone's heritage."

"The essential work of next week's conference", said Mr. Fedotov "is to build global support against these crimes based on nations pooling resources, sharing information and conducting joint operations against the criminals."

The Seventh Session of the Conference of Parties to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime runs from 6-10 October. The five-day conference includes an opening session, a first day press conference, working groups on specific crimes, as well as over 30 side events ranging from the West African Network for the Protection of Children to the launch of a small arms survey.

Meeting every two years, the Conference of the Parties provides a global forum for advancing the application of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, and its three protocols on human trafficking, smuggling of migrants and firearms, to support anti-crime activities. This year, the conference will be attended by as many as 800 permanent representatives, officials and ministers from national capitals, journalists and civil society.

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For further information on the Conference go to:

Official Conference website
Note to Correspondents

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For further information, please contact:

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