Vienna (Austria), 17 October 2022 - Today, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) opened its 11th session (COP11), registering around 1500 participants from 131 countries, including 22 international organizations and 193 civil society 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."
His Excellency Baker Fattah Hussen, Ambassador of Iraq and COP11 President, stressed in his opening remarks that "the UNTOC COP11 Presidency is looking forward to strengthening multilateralism, building upon the value of the UNTOC, its Protocols and Review Mechanism, and creating a conducive environment for the inclusion of all perspectives, in line with the consolidated ‘Vienna spirit’.”
During COP11, the Conference will consider a number of thematic resolutions. Themes awaiting resolution include 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 will focus 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 will be held including high-level events on trafficking in persons in conflict and crises situations, and on strengthening the response to cyber violence against women and girls in the Southern African Development Community region.
The COP convenes every two years to advance the implementation of the UNTOC and as of 2020, to further its review process through the UNTOC Review Mechanism.
190 States Parties have ratified or acceded to the Convention to date, which represents the only global legal instrument against transnational organized crime.
