Vienna (Austria), 24 October 2022 – The 11th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) concluded on Friday.
The week-long session was held in a hybrid format with both in-person and online participation and brought together more than 1500 participants from 134 countries, 22 international and regional organizations and 196 civil society organizations.
COP11 discussed the status of the implementation of the UNTOC and its three Protocols on human trafficking, migrant smuggling and trafficking in firearms. The debate also focused on issues concerning cybercrime, crimes affecting the environment, money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
During its 11th session, the Conference of the Parties adopted six resolutions relating to international cooperation, technical assistance, the protection of cultural property, trafficking in persons, crimes that affect the environment, and illicit manufacturing and trafficking in firearms.
At COP11, States called for a renewed commitment to further advance the UNTOC review process and emphasized the need to ensure sustainable resources to provide the UNTOC COP Secretariat's ongoing and impartial functioning.
More than 60 side events were held in the margins of the 11th session of the COP.
COP11 saw the participation of more than 500 civil society organizations (CSOs). Almost half of the COP11 side events were organized by or co-organized with CSOs. During the informal dialogue with civil society Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), shared her vision on engaging civil society in combating and preventing organized crime.
The 12th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP12) will be convened on 14-18 October 2024.
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.
