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UNIS/CP/466
18 February 2004
VIENNA, 18 February (UN Information Service) -- In response to the request of the Government of the Central African Republic, a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) technical assistance mission has taken place in Bangui from 9 to 14 February, 2004, with the material and financial support of the United Nations Peace-Building Support Office in Central African Republic (BONUCA).
During the first three days, a workshop was organized on the ratification and the implementation of the Universal Instruments against Terrorism, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols. The workshop benefited from the contribution of experts from all relevant ministries as well as representatives of regional and national associations.
In addition to promoting the ratification of the above-mentioned instruments, the working sessions were devoted to discussions on, and analysis of a number of legislative proposals for the amendment of the draft penal code. At the end of the workshop, the participants adopted a set of concrete recommendations, including a call for the early ratification and the implementation of the instruments to be placed on the agenda of the next session of the National Council of Transition. They also called upon UNODC to provide specialised training for law enforcement officers and criminal justice officials, once the appropriate legislation is in place.
The opening and the closing ceremonies were attended by the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Central African Republic, the Ministers of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Communication and General Secretariat of the Government, as well as by representatives of embassies and international organizations.
Following the workshop, the UNODC technical mission met individually with a number of high-level authorities, including the Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Central African Republic, the President of the National Council of Transition and the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). They all assured the UNODC mission of their full support in the process of ratification and implementation of both the anti-terrorism and anti-organized-crime instruments.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr. Stefano Betti and/or Ms. Maud Olinet at +43 1 26060 - 4497/5763
at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna.
