Director General/Executive Director
Ladies and gentlemen,
This campaign we are launching today aims to open eyes to the problem of organized crime, and to show how all of us, including travellers and tourists, can work together to confront this challenge.
With people all over the world travelling more than ever, their choices as consumers can have a real impact.
Reducing demand for products linked to organized crime can help stop some of the worst crimes and violations that we face today, such as human trafficking, wildlife crime and trafficking in illicit drugs, counterfeit goods and cultural artefacts.
This campaign is in line with the UN's goal of combating organized crime and promoting, through the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, equitable, responsible and sustainable tourism.
The campaign will also encourage travellers to be safe and vigilant in the face of security concerns, including the risk of terrorist threats.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Transnational organized crime is a global problem, and this campaign has global relevance for a global audience.
Human trafficking and the trafficking of drugs, wildlife, counterfeit goods and cultural artefacts threaten the health and safety of millions, decimate the environment and rob people of their heritage.
These crimes are worth billions and billions of dollars in profits to the organized crime networks that perpetrate them. Meanwhile, the cost to our societies is enormous.
The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime fosters international cooperation to tackle all forms of organized crime.
Public-private partnerships are an essential part of this cooperation, and I welcome your interest and support for our initiative.
As guardian of the Convention, UNODC brings together different stakeholders, including Members States, private sector actors and civil society organizations to raise awareness, and share good practices and information.
For example, at the end of last year, UNODC launched a campaign with Chinese actress Li Bing Bing calling on consumers and tourists not to purchase endangered wildlife species.
In India, UNODC worked with the Ministry of Tourism, tour operator associations, Save the Children and other NGOs to draft a Code of Conduct for Safe and Honourable Tourism, based on UNTWO's Global Code of Ethics.
In South-East Asia, UNODC implements Project Childhood, a $7.5 million initiative to combat the sexual exploitation of children, mainly in the travel and tourism sectors.
In March 2012, Project Childhood provided support to an Interpol operation which led to the arrest of 20 people suspected of sexual abuses against children.
These are modest results when you consider the sheer scale of transnational organized crime, but they have been able to make a difference in people's lives.
Putting an end to transnational organized crime is a daunting and ambitious goal, to say the least. But we all have a part to play in this effort.
There is a Chinese proverb that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
By helping travellers and tourists make informed choices, we can take a crucial step towards this goal of making the world safe from drugs, crime and terrorism.
Thank you.
