IPO HQ LEADERSHIP AT UNITED NATIONS UNODC - UNTOC

On October 17-18, IPO Headquarters Leadership led by Dr. Tomori Mareglen in the quality of IPO HQ Executive President and President of IPO Italy and Mrs. Sanela Nikolic in the quality of President of IPO Serbia and General Director of IPO HQ & IPO LED represents our Organization at the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) that took place in Viena Internation Center from October 17 to 21.

Part of the IPO delegation were as well our leaders from different IPO Sections as IPO Montenegro Mr. Ivan Pekic, IPO Slovenia Mr. Daniel Prastalo, and IPO Switzerland Mr. Imet Cafleshi as well as the delegates of IPO Austria and IPO Netherlands.

Three years ago, IPO was invited for the first time to the UNDOC conference, represented by the founder and Honorary President Ass. Prof. Dr. Ilija Zivotic, who took his speech related to the theme of the conference, which was also published on the official website of UNODC. Thanks to him, we continued to receive invitations in the following years, establishing our cooperation with the UN and representing IPO at the UN in the most important conferences such as CND Commission on Narcotic Drugs and COP - UNTOC.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) opened its 11th session, registering around 1500 participants from 131 countries, including 22 international organizations.

In opening the session, Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, highlighted that "the UNTOC and its Protocols represent powerful tools to build the resilience of States and societies to crime. It is time to step up their implementation, in the face of evolving and emerging organized crime threats."

During COP11, the Conference considered a number of thematic resolutions.

Themes awaiting resolution included the implementation of the provisions on international cooperation, technical assistance, and applying UNTOC for preventing and combating transnational organized crimes that affect the environment.

Among other thematic issues, the COP 11 discussions focused on enhancing international cooperation to combat all forms of transnational organized crime, including trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, trafficking in firearms, cybercrime, financial crimes, and crimes that affect the environment.

In the margins of the 11th session, 68 side events was held, including high-level events on trafficking in persons in conflict and crisis situations, and on strengthening the response to cyber violence against women and girls in the Southern African Development Community region.

Transnational organized crime refers to those self-perpetuating associations of individuals who operate transnationally for the purpose of obtaining power, influence, monetary and/or commercial gains, wholly or in part by illegal means, while protecting their activities through a pattern of corruption.

Transnational criminal networks such as organized crime groups, drug traffickers, and weapons dealers at times share convergence points places, businesses, or people to “launder” or convert their illicit profits into legitimate funds.

Electronic surveillance, undercover operations, and use of informants are the most important techniques that have assisted the investigative agencies to combat organized crime and transnational crimes and ways to combat this kind of crimes.

In the late 1990's, the United Nations stressed the priority of a draft convention to address the global threats from transnational organized crime. In December 2000, the UN Convention on Transnational Crime was approved and signed in Palermo.

The Protocol aims at preventing and combating the smuggling of migrants, as well as promoting cooperation among States parties while protecting the rights of smuggled migrants and preventing the worst forms of their exploitation which often characterize the smuggling process.

Non-governmental organizations of civil society that operate in the field of security, policing, research, and studies against organized and general crime, helping the community and law enforcement, are an important element in the development of UNODC programs.

IPO showed once again that with the seriousness and dedicated work it is doing, it is giving a great contribution through education and scientific work which aim to create theoretical and practical tools to serve as a bridge between the community and law enforcement by bringing together professional civilian and security structures to contribute together for a safer community and a safer tomorrow.

IPO News Room